Archive November 11, 2025

Delhi Red Fort blast kills 13: What happened as police invoke ‘terror’ law?

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At least 13 people have been killed and more than 20 wounded when a car exploded in New Delhi, India’s capital.

Security forces have been placed on high alert across major states and cities as authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the blast on Monday night.

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What happened in New Delhi?

At 6:52pm (13:52 GMT), a powerful, high-intensity blast tore through a crowded neighbourhood during the evening rush hour.

According to Delhi Police, the explosion originated in a moving Hyundai i20 car.

“A slow-moving vehicle stopped at a red light. An explosion happened in that vehicle, and due to the explosion, nearby vehicles were also damaged,” Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha told reporters.

Images from the scene show shattered windows, mangled vehicles, and fire and smoke rising from burning cars.

Police later detained the original owner of the car, identified as Mohammad Salman, in Gurugram, Haryana. He bought the vehicle in 2013. Investigators said Salman had subsequently sold the vehicle to another man in New Delhi who in turn sold the car recently. The person Salman sold the car to has also been arrested. However, the car was still registered in Salman’s name and carried a Haryana number plate, according to local media reports.

Delhi Police have invoked India’s primary “counterterrorism” law, registering a case under Sections 16 and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) along with provisions of the Explosives Act.

This means that even though officials have yet to formally confirm the cause of the blast or name suspects, they appear to be treating the explosion as a potential act of terrorism, not just a criminal or accidental blast.

Where did the blast happen?

The explosion occurred in a densely populated part of Old Delhi near the Red Fort Metro Station.

The blast took place at a traffic signal close to the entrance of the metro station serving the Red Fort (locally known as Lal Qila), one of the city’s most renowned Mughal-era monuments.

The site lies at a busy intersection linking the Red Fort with the bustling Chandni Chowk Market, where the impact of the explosion was felt.

The Red Fort itself, constructed by Emperor Shah Jahan in 1546, is an architectural masterpiece that blends Islamic, Persian, Timurid and Hindu design traditions.

The Red Fort also holds deep national importance because it was from its ramparts that India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, delivered an Independence Day speech on August 15, 1947, marking the end of British colonial rule.

Since then, every year on Independence Day, the Indian prime minister hoists the national flag and addresses the nation from the same spot. This tradition makes the fort a living symbol of India’s sovereignty and freedom.

The front compound of the 17th century, Mughal-era Red Fort is decorated in India’s national colours for Independence Day celebrations in New Delhi [File: Manish Swarup/AP]

What’s the backdrop to the explosion?

The explosion occurred hours after police revealed they had arrested a Kashmiri doctor from Faridabad, also in Haryana, on charges of plotting a “terrorist” attack.

Haryana police said in a statement that they had found 2,900kg (6,393lb) of explosives, 20 timers, two dozen remote controls, a rifle and dozens of live rounds from the premises of the house where the doctor lived. Seven other people accused of helping the doctor were also arrested.

However, Indian authorities have so far not confirmed any link between the arrested doctor and the explosion on Monday.

What is the latest on the ground?

Police have intensified security checks across the city with a particular focus on railway stations, where incoming vehicles are being thoroughly inspected.

According to local media reports, major train stations across India – including those in Mumbai, the country’s financial capital, and in Uttar Pradesh, which borders Delhi – have also been placed on high alert as a precautionary measure.

Videos shared online show the wreckage of several cars scattered along a crowded street in Delhi’s old quarter as police moved in to secure the scene and disperse onlookers.

According to New Delhi’s deputy fire chief, the explosion ignited six vehicles and three autorickshaws.

Meanwhile, as authorities respond to the explosion, voters in the eastern state of Bihar are heading to the polls in the second and final phase of state elections, marking a significant political event unfolding alongside heightened national security concerns.

Indian officials have still not formally confirmed they believe the blast was deliberate, or identified a suspect.
Security personnel and members of the forensics team work at the site of the explosion near the Red Fort [Adnan Abidi/Reuters]

What have witnesses said?

As panic and confusion swept through Old Delhi after the explosion, witnesses described scenes of horror and chaos.

“Suddenly, there was a sound of a blast,” Irfan told Al Jazeera.

“We came running, and we didn’t get too close because we were scared. We saw someone’s hand on the ground. They were completely blown up.”

“I saw someone’s lungs, and I also saw a car’s steering wheel completely damaged. I just cannot express, can’t imagine how their families will deal with this. I cannot describe how big the blast was,” he added.

Relatives of people injured or missing were trying to track down their loved ones.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Nazish Malik said his brother-in-law, Mohsin, an e-rickshaw driver, was missing after the blast.

“After more than 100 calls on his phone, finally someone answered and said that the phone is at the police post at the Red Fort and your relative has been taken to Lok Nayak Hospital,” Malik said.

“When we heard that, we rushed here and got here around 8:30pm. My brother was already here. I got here late but found that the security was so tight, they are not permitting us to go inside,” he added.

“At least announce who is critical and who is dead. You can at least inform that bit,” he said.

Indian officials have still not formally confirmed they believe the blast was deliberate, or identified a suspect.
A relative of Dinesh Misra, who died in the blast near the Red Fort [Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters]

What have been the reactions?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he has been briefed about the attack by Home Minister Amit Shah and expressed condolences for the lives lost.

Shah said all possibilities were being investigated with top agencies involved.

Israel’s ambassador also expressed his condolences.

The embassy of Egypt likewise extended its condolences to the victims and their families.

The United Kingdom issued a travel advisory after the explosion while the United States embassy in India released a security alert and extended its condolences.“Our sincere condolences to the families who lost their loved ones. We pray for the swift recovery of those injured,” the US government said.

Has Delhi faced attacks in the past?

Yes, Delhi has been the target of multiple bombings and attacks over the years – but not in more than a decade.

  • September 2011: Fifteen people were killed after a briefcase bomb exploded outside the Delhi High Court. The Pakistan-based armed group Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami claimed responsibility.
  • September 2008: The Indian capital was rocked by two sets of bombings. First, on September 13, five bombs ripped through crowded markets as people shopped for major festivals. The bombs killed 33 people. A group called the Indian Mujahideen claimed responsibility. Two weeks later, two more bombs exploded, killing three people.
  • October 2005: Three blasts across different parts of the city killed 70 people. Pakistan-based Lashkar e-Taiba claimed responsibility.
  • December 2001: Fighters from the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed armed group attacked the Indian Parliament in a strike that brought the nuclear-armed neighbours to the brink of war. Thirteen people were killed.
  • December 2000: Three people were killed in an attack at the Red Fort by Lashkar-e-Taiba fighters.

Have other places in India faced major attacks?

Yes, Indian cities have been targets of major attacks by armed groups, often associated with Kashmir’s secessionist struggle. India has in most cases blamed Pakistan-based armed groups and Pakistan’s intelligence services for orchestrating these attacks.

These armed groups have in several cases claimed responsibility themselves, and in some cases, Indian authorities have captured suspects.

Here are some of the deadliest attacks in India outside Delhi.

  • November 2008, Mumbai: More than 170 people were killed and over 300 were injured in attacks carried out by Lashkar-e-Taiba. Indian authorities captured one of the perpetrators alive.
  • July 2008, Ahmedabad: Seventeen bombs exploded in different parts of the western Indian city, killing 56 people. Police blamed two armed groups.
  • May 2008, Jaipur: More than 70 people died in nine explosions in the capital of India’s western state of Rajasthan. Authorities blamed the Indian Mujahideen, a home-grown armed group.
  • February 2007, Haryana: Seventy people, mostly Pakistani civilians, died after bombs blew up the Samjhauta Express, which connected India and Pakistan. Authorities accused a far-right Hindu group, Abhinav Bharat, of carrying out the attack. But in 2019 under Modi’s Hindu majoritarian Bharatiya Janata Party’s rule, all the accused were acquitted.
  • September 2006, Malegaon: Explosions near a mosque in Malegaon, a city in the western state of Maharashtra, killed at least 45 people. Authorities blamed the Abhinav Bharat group, but all accused were later acquitted.
  • July 2006, Mumbai: More than 200 people were killed when a series of bombs exploded on multiple trains of the suburban rail network that millions of people use daily in India’s financial capital. Authorities blamed Lashkar-e-Taiba, but all Indian nationals who were arrested have now been acquitted.
  • March 1993, Mumbai: In the single deadliest attack in independent India’s history, multiple bombs exploded across the city, killing more than 250 people. Police blamed Indian fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his aides for the attack.
  • May 1991, Sriperumbudur: Former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was blown up by a suicide bomber from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam during a campaign rally. Fifteen people died.
Videos shared online show the wreckage of several cars scattered along a crowded street in Delhi’s old quarter, as police moved in to secure the scene and disperse onlookers.According to New Delhi’s deputy fire chief, the explosion ignited six vehicles and three autorickshaws
A ‘do not cross line’ ribbon cordons off an area near the site of the explosion near the Red Fort [Associated Press]

Reinventing Football – what do we do with handball, penalties and VAR?

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Dale Johnson

Football issues correspondent
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Imagine a world in which you could reinvent football.

It’s a dream, of course. Just a bit of fun. But stick with us.

What if you had the power to change any of the game’s laws and potentially bring to an end countless hours of discussion about handball, offside, video assistant referees, or anything else you want to?

In that spirit, we asked players, pundits and even referees what football could look like if we ripped up the rulebook and started afresh.

Think of it as a manifesto for reinventing the game so many of us love.

Penalties: Make the punishment fit the crime

Think here about that relatively innocuous trip as an attacker is moving away from goal – or a handball decision when there’s no immediate likelihood of a goal.

The result? A penalty – and a very high chance of a goal (historically, Opta says, 78%) when no such opportunity existed.

Is it fair, for example, that Brentford were given such a high chance of scoring when Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk tapped the boot of Dango Ouattara right on the edge of the 18-yard area last month?

Is a shot from 12 yards with only the goalkeeper to beat a just punishment?

We already define an obvious goalscoring opportunity for a red card, so we’d only have to tweak this to any kind of scoring chance for a penalty.

If it’s a foul with no clear attacking impact, why not a free-kick?

Penalties: One and done – no more rebounds

Getty Images

Imagine when a penalty is saved or hits the woodwork and bounces back into play that the game is stopped and the ball given to the goalkeeper.

Pierluigi Collina – perhaps the most famous football referee of all time, and now head of Fifa’s referees’ committee – is already on board.

Collina argues that if the attacking team have squandered such a big chance of scoring, why should they be allowed a second or even third opportunity?

In recent campaigns an average of just under three goals a season have been scored in such circumstances, so is it really that important?

And would we want to risk losing some of the game’s most memorable moments?

Think Chloe Kelly’s 119th-minute goal for England against Italy in the semi-final of Euro 2025. Or Liverpool’s Xabi Alonso netting at the second attempt against AC Milan in their dramatic comeback in the second half of the 2005 Champions League final. Or Harry Kane’s winning goal for England against Denmark at Euro 2020.

VAR: Bring in a challenge system

Football Video Support review cards next to the match ball at the Fifa Under-20 World Cup.Getty Images

Will VAR ever be accepted? Perhaps not in its current form, so how about adapting it to a challenge system?

You might not have heard of Fifa’s Football Video Support (FVS), which is being trialled in several leagues including Liga F – the top flight of the women’s game in Spain.

Under FVS, a coach is given two challenges per game. When they are activated, the on-field referee goes to the monitor to watch the incident back and make a decision. There isn’t a VAR poring over the footage, just a replay operator to show the incident to the referee.

Everton and England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford likes the theory.

“With VAR involved, I’d do it like cricket,” Pickford said. “They’ve got two decisions and the captain has got to make sure they review at the right time, in so many seconds. I think that would keep the speed of the game up, and keep it flowing.”

Sound good? It has its merits. The assumption is there will be better final outcomes, though trials have shown that’s not always the case, and mistakes are still made by a referee at the screen.

Match of the Day presenter Gabby Logan thinks there’s a different way of doing it.

“It’s to have a time limit on VAR,” she said. “We all agree now it’s here to stay, and it often does good things, but the time it can take is tiresome. It stops the game. People get angry with it.

“If it was 90 seconds only, I think we’d sort a lot of that out because if it’s not clear and obvious in 90 seconds, it’s not clear and obvious.”

But for former England defender Stephen Warnock, the solution is simpler – get rid of VAR.

Reimagining Football

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VAR offsides: Lose the microscopic tech

A graphic shown for a VAR decision using semi-automated offside technology during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Crystal Palace.Getty Images

The concept of offside is very different from its first iteration in 1863 when – a little bit like rugby – you were offside if you were in front of the ball.

Three years after its introduction, the law changed to consider the position of the defenders closest to their own goal, and it hasn’t altered much since.

But the initial idea surely wasn’t that players should be penalised for having a toe in front of the ‘offside line’? After all, you only had the judgement of the assistant.

We’re told VAR tech is uber-reliable, but we’re in the hands of AI and a VAR who has to manually confirm a frame that might not be the exact point the ball has been played anyway. And how confusing can those animations be?

So, how about ditching the microscopic tech, and just relying on a TV picture with no lines or funky graphics and an official’s eye?

That’s how it’s done in Major League Soccer – largely because of problems with wildly differing stadium configurations.

The VAR looks at the images and decides if it’s possible the assistant has got the decision wrong. If so, the referee is sent to the monitor to look. In other words, MLS judges offside at the clear and obvious threshold and not to millimetres.

Would TV companies still draw their own lines? Probably, which would undoutedly mean the controversy around offside decisions would not dissipate.

Premier League referee Anthony Taylor had a more radical suggestion.

“One of the best tournaments I refereed in was a prison officer tournament and we had no offside… and we had so many goals it was unbelievable,” he said.

Handball: Make it like it used to be

If you asked a football fan to define handball a decade ago, you’d get a simple answer, like: “Ball to hand isn’t a penalty.”

Put that question to them today, and they probably wouldn’t know where to start.

Former England captain Alan Shearer pointed to some of the phraseology that has come into the football lexicon around handball as he called for change.

“Proximity… obvious position… not in an obvious position… natural,” he said. “For me, it’s pretty simple – is it deliberate handball or not?”

Some of the confusion has come from a big rewrite of the lawbook in 2019, when the considerations for handball went from just three lines to an entire page.

Referees were served with a whole menu of reasons to give handball.

The aim was to give a “clearer and more consistent definition and interpretation”. What it brought was consistently more penalties, because there were many more reasons to give one.

Stop the clock when the ball goes out

This idea has been kicking around for many years, with the intention that if the watch is stopped, teams can’t waste time.

The plan could be for each half to last 30 minutes, with the clock halted when the ball isn’t in play. That guarantees 60 minutes of effective playing time, and means much of the incentive to take vital seconds out of the match is removed.

Fans would actually gain rather than lose out, too, with the average ball-in-play time this season 55 minutes 05 seconds – 114 seconds down from last season.

It’s not a magic bullet, because teams who are looking to see out a lead – or hold on to a draw – could still go slowly to break up the momentum of the opposition.

Introduce tactical timeouts

For this, we turn to former Wales captain Ashley Williams.

“I would give each team at least one timeout per half, and you can use that whenever you want,” he said.

“It might be before a corner, before a free-kick, if someone’s injured. If the manager needs to get hold of their team and change something, I’d let them have a timeout like they do in other sports.”

The modern trend seems to be for teams to secure themselves an ‘unofficial’ tactical timeout by telling a goalkeeper to go down injured, though we should point out – for the avoidance of doubt – that sometimes goalkeeper injuries are genuine!

As the physio runs on, all of the outfield players head over to the technical area for a team talk. When the manager has passed on his key messages, the goalkeeper is often fine to play on.

This little interlude can change the direction of a game, and adversely impact the opposition. While they have the chance to speak to their manager too, it often is the case that they don’t need to change anything, so any team talk has less impact.

Would an allocated tactical timeout stop this? In some cases, but not all.

Bring in bonus points – and punish 0-0 draws

Arsene Wenger, when he was manager of Arsenal, often spoke about giving teams extra points to award attacking play.

It never caught on widely, though he did get his way in the pre-season Emirates Cup in the summer of 2009. There, clubs were awarded three points for a win plus an extra point for every goal scored.

Former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha is thinking along the same lines.

“I like the idea of a bonus point for every time you score two goals,” he said. “Instead of just getting three points, you score two goals and that’s four points. You score four goals, that’s five points.

“From an attacking perspective, you can really start to climb the ladder. You’ll see more goals in the league, which means fans would be more entertained.”

There’s another option.

Former Barcelona and Manchester United defender Gerard Pique flipped the logic earlier this year by suggesting teams should get zero points if a match ends 0-0.

Pique believes boring games would explode into life for the final 20 minutes because a 0-0 draw would give teams as many points as a 1-0 defeat.

Let players take quick free-kicks to themselves

Consider these two scenarios: a player is breaking forward and is brought down by a tactical foul, or a goalkeeper comes out of his area and boots the ball into the crowd.

Play often can’t restart instantly, because a team needs to set up. But what if a player could take a free-kick, throw-in or corner to themselves and run with the ball?

It might seem a little out there, but it would make the game faster and might even bring more goals.

Former England midfielder Danny Murphy said: “It’s your advantage, you’ve got the ball, so why do you have to pass it to somebody else so you can get the game going quickly?”

Make the goals bigger

Goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen of Sturm Graz catches the ball during a Champions League game against RB Leipzig.Getty Images

In 1996, former Fifa president Sepp Blatter wanted to increase the size of football goals by 50cm in width and 25cm in height, but didn’t have enough support.

Is it time to look again?

The size of the goals – 24ft wide and 8ft high – hasn’t changed in 150 years.

But the average height of people has increased in that time, which would suggest goalkeepers are now at an advantage.

There are two sides to this, though.

In 1875, footballs were made of hand-stitched leather, often weighed down by the rain. Today they are lightweight and made of synthetic leather and designed to aid movement through the air.

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Eagles win against Packers in NFL defensive slugfest

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Jalen Hurts has turned consecutive big plays into Philadelphia’s only touchdown to back a dominant performance by the Eagles’ defence in a 10-7 victory over the Green Bay Packers.

Green Bay’s Brandon McManus was short on a 64-yard (53.5-metre) field goal on the final play of the game on Monday night.

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Nursing a 3-0 lead early in the fourth quarter, the Eagles needed just four plays to cover 80 yards and go in front 10-0, ending with a 36-yard catch by Devonta Smith from Hurts. The Packers answered with an 11-play, 75-yard march for a 6-yard touchdown run by Josh Jacobs to pull within 10-7.

The Packers got the ball back on their own 36 with 27 seconds left. Jordan Love passed to Bo Melton for 19 yards to the Philadelphia 46. Love spiked the ball to stop the clock, then was incomplete on a short pass, forcing the long field goal attempt.

The Eagles (7-2), who lead the NFC East by three and a half games over the Dallas Cowboys, won their third straight after back-to-back losses.

Green Bay (5-3-1) fell a half-game behind the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears in the NFC North after losing two straight, scoring just one touchdown in each defeat.

Hurts completed 15 of 26 passes for 183 yards and a TD. Saquon Barkley carried 22 times for 60 yards.

Love connected on 20 of 36 passes for 176 yards. Jacobs finished with 74 yards on 21 carries.

Philadelphia got back-to-back long pass plays to go in front 10-0 with 10:35 remaining. On third and 7, Hurts hit Barkley with a quick toss to the left flat that he turned into a 41-yard gain to the Green Bay 36-yard line. Hurts then connected with Smith, who made a leaping grab over a defender at the goal line.

Green Bay answered on its ensuing possession, capitalising on a pass interference call for a first down at the Philadelphia 13. Jacobs’s touchdown cut the deficit to 10-7 with 5:49 left.

The Eagles punted on their next possession with Green Bay taking over on its own 10 with 2:18 remaining. On fourth and 1, Jacobs fumbled, and Philadelphia recovered at the Green Bay 35 with 1:26 left.

After a scoreless first half, the Eagles got on the board on their opening possession of the third quarter on Jake Elliott’s 39-yard field goal.

Neither team generated much offence during a mistake-filled first half. The Eagles had 125 yards total offence while Green Bay managed just 83 yards and was 0-for-5 on third-down conversions.

The Eagles wound up with a 294-261 edge in total yards.

Green Bay Packers place kicker Brandon McManus (#17) misses a field goal attempt against the Philadelphia Eagles on the final play of the game [Mike Roemer/AP]

Jannik Sinner dominates Felix Auger-Aliassime at ATP Finals in Turin

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Italy’s Jannik Sinner began his bid to retain the ATP Finals title with a resounding 7-5, 6-1 win over injury-hit Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime in their round-robin clash at a packed Inalpi Arena in Turin on Monday.

The pair were meeting for the fourth time since August, and eight days after their last clash, with the outcome the same as Sinner eased into the match before overpowering Auger-Aliassime, who needed medical attention during the second set.

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Sinner extended his incredible indoor hardcourt winning streak to 27 matches, his last defeat on the surface coming against Novak Djokovic in the 2023 ATP Finals decider.

The 24-year-old is also in a battle with Carlos Alcaraz to end the year as world number one. Sinner must retain his title in Turin to have any chance, while the Spaniard can secure the prize by winning two more matches after victory in his opener.

Sinner began with intent by winning the first game to love and went on to give up just three points on serve in the opening set while forcing five break points, displaying an impressive mixture of sharp backhand and forehand shots down the line.

Auger-Aliassime hung in, smashing eight aces to Sinner’s one during the first set, often at just the right time as he saved four break points, but the Italian came through when it mattered, breaking to win the set.

“It was a very tough match until 6-5. I had some chances to break,” Sinner said.

“He played some very aggressive tennis, so I’m happy to overcome a very tough test today. Obviously, winning the first match is very important in this competition and this format.”

Sinner returns the ball to Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime during their ATP World Tour Finals match in Turin, Italy, on November 10, 2025 [Antonio Calanni/AP Photo]

Sinner stormed into a 3-0 lead in the second, and his opponent took a medical timeout for a problem in his left calf.

“I hope it’s nothing too serious,” Sinner said.

“I wish him obviously a very speedy recovery, and hopefully he is back to 100 percent physically.”

Auger-Aliassime saved two break points to avoid losing touch completely before Sinner sank the Canadian with another break to leave the Italian serving for the match, which he did in style, hammering home an ace to clinch the win.

While the Canadian struggled in the second set, Sinner began to enjoy himself, playing some deft drop shots to the delight of his home crowd, who rose to their feet to acclaim the win.

On Sunday, German Alexander Zverev beat American Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6(6) in the other Bjorn Borg Group match. All four players in the group will meet each other, with the top two qualifying for the semifinals.

Tuesday’s action features the Jimmy Connors Group, where Alcaraz takes on last year’s finalist Taylor Fritz, with both players on one win each, and Italian Lorenzo Musetti faces Australian Alex de Minaur.

Jannik Sinner and Felix Auger-Aliassime react.
Sinner shakes hands with Auger-Aliassime, right, after winning his group stage match [Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters]

African World Cup 2026 qualifiers playoffs: Squads, teams and start time

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The Confederation of African Football (CAF) playoffs begin on Thursday with four teams – Cameroon, Gabon, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo – slugging it out to decide which nation will progress to the FIFA intercontinental playoff tournament in March, which is the final hurdle for qualification into the World Cup 2026 in North America.

The four teams were the best runners-up across the nine African qualifying groups – and the playoff winner will keep alive their nation’s hopes of becoming the continent’s 10th representative at next year’s finals.

Here is all to know about the CAF playoffs:

Where are the African playoffs being held?

Morocco’s capital Rabat will host the African World Cup playoffs, using three different stadiums for the three matches.

Al Barid Stadium and Moulay El Hassan Stadium will be used for the semifinals.

The newly built Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, which will host the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final on January 18, will be the venue for the CAF playoff final.

What time do the African playoff matches start?

The two sudden-death semifinal playoffs will be played at the following times:

  • Nigeria vs Gabon: Thursday, November 13 at 5pm (16:00 GMT) at Moulay El Hassan Stadium
  • Cameroon vs Congo DR: Thursday, November 13 at 8pm (19:00 GMT) at Al Barid Stadium

The winner-take-all final will be played at the following time:

  • CAF final (Teams TBD): Sunday, November 16 at 8pm local (19:00 GMT) at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium

How was the draw made for the CAF playoff matches?

The draw was based on the current FIFA world rankings of the four teams as of October 17.

Nigeria was ranked highest (#41), followed by Cameroon (#54), Congo DR (#60) and Gabon (#77).

Based on the rankings, FIFA implemented a No.1 (Nigeria) vs No.4 seed (Gabon) matchup for the first semifinal and a No.2 (Cameroon) vs No.3 (Congo DR) second semi.

Nigeria’s key forward Victor Osimhen is hoping to lead his nation to a seventh FIFA World Cup finals appearance in 2026 [File: Sodiq Adelakun/Reuters]

What does the African playoff winner still need to do for World Cup qualification?

The winner of Sunday’s CAF playoff must still overcome teams from other continents in a FIFA intercontinental playoff scheduled for March in Mexico to decide the final two qualifiers for the World Cup.

The intercontinental playoff will feature two teams from the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and one team apiece from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) and the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC).

How many African nations have already qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026?

Nine African countries have already qualified via direct entry from the CAF group stage: Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, and Tunisia.

When and where is the FIFA World Cup 2026?

The tournament is being staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico. The first match will be played in Mexico City on June 11, while the final will be staged in New Jersey, the US, on July 19.

Due to the expansion of the tournament – from 32 teams to 48 – the 39-day event is the longest in its history.

MetLife Stadium.
The MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey in the United States will stage the FIFA World Cup 2026 final on July 19 [File: Kena Betancur/VIEWpress via Getty Images]

What are the African squads for the CAF playoffs?

⚽ Cameroon:

Goalkeepers: 
Andre Onana (Trabzonspor, Turkiye), Devis Epassy (Dinamo Bucuresti, Romania), Simon Omossola (Saint-Eloi Lupopo, Congo)

Defenders: 
Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui (Beijing Guoan, China), Nouhou Tolo (Seattle Sounders, US), Jean-Charles Castelletto (Al-Duhail, Qatar), Jackson Tchatchoua (Wolverhampton Wanderers, England), Darlin Yongwa (Lorient, France), Flavien Enzo Boyomo (Osasuna, Spain), Aboubakar Nagida (Rennes, France), Malcom Bokele (Goztepe, Turkiye)

Midfielders: 
Frank Anguissa (Napoli, Italy), Martin Hongla (Granada, Spain), Jean Onana (Genoa, Italy), Yvan Neyou (Getafe, Spain), Carlos Baleba (Brighton & Hove Albion, England), Arthur Avom (Lorient, France), Wilitty Younoussa (Rodez, France)

Forwards: 
Vincent Aboubakar (c) (Azerbaijan Neftci, Azerbaijan), Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (New York Red Bulls, US), Moumi Ngamaleu (Dynamo Moscow, Russia), Christian Bassogog (Al-Okhdood, Saudi Arabia), Bryan Mbeumo (Manchester United, England), Georges-Kevin Nkoudou (Diriyah, Saudi Arabia), Frank Magri (Toulouse, France), Danny Namaso (Auxerre, France), Patrick Soko (Almeria, Spain), Karl Etta Eyong (Levante, Spain)

⚽ Congo DR:

Goalkeepers:
Matthieu Epolo (Standard Liege, Belgium), Timothy Fayulu (Noah, Armenia), Lionel Mpasi (Le Havre, France)

Defenders:
Rocky Bushiri (Hibernian, Scotland), Gedeon Kalulu (Aris Limassol, Cyprus), Steve Kapuadi (Legia Warsaw, Poland), Joris Kayembe (Racing Genk, Belgium), Arthur Masuaku (Sunderland, England), Chancel Mbemba (Olympique de Marseille, France), Axel Tuanzebe (Burnley, England), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (West Ham United, England)

Midfielders:
Theo Bongonda (Spartak Moscow, Russia), Michel-Ange Balikwisha (Glasgow Celtic, Scotland), Edo Kayembe (Watford, England), Nathanael Mbuku (Montpellier, France), Samuel Moutoussamy (Atromitos, Greece), Ngal’ayel Mukau (Lille, France), Charles Pickel (Espanyol, Spain), Noah Sadiki (Sunderland, England), Mario Stroeykens (Anderlecht, Belgium)

Forwards: 
Cedric Bakambu (Real Betis, Spain), Samuel Essende (Augsburg, Germany), Brian Cipenga (Castellon, Spain), Meshack Elia (Alanyaspor, Turkiye), Fiston Mayele (Pyramids, Egypt).

⚽ Gabon:

Goalkeepers: 
Francois Junior Bekale (Hafia, Guinea), Loyce Mbaba (Stella d’Adjame, Ivory Coast), Lukas Mounguenou (Paris Saint-Germain, France), Demba Anse Ngoubi (Mosta, Malta)

Defenders: 
Aaron Appindangoye (Sivasspor, Turkiye), Jonathan do Marcolino (Bourg-en-Bresse, France), Jacques Ekomie (Angers, France), Bruno Ecuele Manga (Paris 13 Atletico, France), Yannis Mbemba (FC Dordrecht, Netherlands), Johan Obiang (Orleans, France), Mike Kila Onfia (Hafia, Guinea), Anthony Oyono and Jeremy Oyono (both Frosinone, Italy)

Midfielders: 
Oumar Samake Nze Bagnama (Stade Abdijan, Ivory Coast), Eric Bocoum (Gol Gohar, Iran), Guelor Kanga (Esenler Erokspor, Turkiye), Mario Lemina (Galatasaray, Turkiye), Didier Ndong (Esteghlal, Iran), Andre Biyogho Poko (Amed, Turkiye)

Forwards: 
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Olympique de Marseille, France), Teddy Averlant (Amiens, France), Denis Bouanga (Los Angeles FC, US), Alan do Marcolino (Lusitania Lourosa, Portugal), Randy Essang Matouti (Khenchela, Algeria), Noha Lemina (Yverdon Sport, Switzerland), Bryan Meyo (Oympique Lyonnais, France)

⚽ Nigeria:

Goalkeepers:
Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa), Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania), Maduka Okoye (Udinese, Italy)

Defenders:
Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes, France), Semi Ajayi (Hull City, England), Calvin Bassey (Fulham, England), Benjamin Fredericks (Dender, Belgium), Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos, Greece), Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City, England), Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal), William Troost-Ekong (Al-Kholood, Saudi Arabia)

Midfielders:
Alex Iwobi (Fulham, England), Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas, Turkiye), Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium), Frank Onyeka (Brentford, England), Alhassan Yusuf (New England Revolution, US)