- Uganda were brutally eliminated from the 2026 World Cup playoffs despite finishing with more points than Nigeria
- Nigeria sneaked through to the playoffs thanks to a new rule introduced by CAF, which ranks second-placed teams differently
- Uganda needed a win against Algeria to keep their hopes alive, but a loss there, coupled with CAF rules, knocked them out
- We explain how the 2026 World Cup qualifiers for African teams work and how Uganda missed out in the end
Uganda were eliminated from the race to qualify for the 2026 World Cup on the last match day after they lost to Algeria.
Source: Twitter
The Cranes exited despite having more points than other countries like Nigeria, who were advanced to the playoffs for another chance to get a ticket.
How Africa’s World Cup 2026 qualification works
The 54 African countries were grouped into nine groups of six teams each. The nine group winners qualified automatically for the expanded 48-team tournament.
Afterwards, the four of the second-best placed teams progressed to the playoffs, where they will have another long route to qualification.
The four teams will be grouped into two paths (like semi-finals) before the finalists face off to produce one winner.
The winner from Africa will then meet two teams from North America and one team apiece from Asia, Africa, South America, and Oceania in another set of playoffs, which will produce two countries that will qualify for the World Cup now.
Source: Twitter
CAF’s rule for second-best teams in World Cup qualifiers
CAF amended the rules of how the nine second-best placed teams would be selected.
The governing body announced that to compare them fairly, the results they got against the last-placed team in their groups won’t be counted, except for Group E, where Eritrea withdrew.
This meant that only matches against the top five teams in each group were used for comparison.
Why Uganda were eliminated
It was this new rule that ultimately eliminated Uganda. The Cranes finished second behind Algeria in Group G with 18 points. The last team in the group was Somalia, whom Uganda beat home and away.
Under CAF’s new rule, Uganda were therefore deducted six points, taking them back to 12 points.
12 points only put them in eighth place in the ranking of second-best teams. Nigeria were the biggest winners of this rule. They finished second behind South Africa in Group C with 17 points, but after deductions, they were reduced to 15, sealing a playoff spot. They were only deducted two points as they drew home and away with the last-placed team in their group.
However, it is important to note that even if the points weren’t deducted, Uganda would still have come in sixth in the second place ranking behind Gabon (25), DR Congo (22), Burkina Faso (21), Cameroon and Madagascar (19) and therefore not have made it.
Other teams that have qualified for the playoffs are Gabon (finished with 25 points, reduced to 19), Cameroon (finished with 19 points, reduced to 15), and DR Congo (finished with 22 points, reduced to 16).
The playoffs will be held in November.
Ivory Coast beat Harambee Stars
Elsewhere, Ivory Coast beat Harambee Stars 3-0 to seal their place in next year’s tournament.
Amad Diallo scored and set up one as the reigning African champions made their way to the World Cup for the first time since 2014.
The Elephants topped the group with 26 points, with zero goals conceded, ahead of Gabon’s 25.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
