South Africa and Senegal eye winning starts

South Africa have a chance to set the pace in Group C of qualifying after Nigeria drew their opening match, while Senegal will look to go top of Group B.

There are only their games taking place on Saturday and the action gets underway with South Africa hosting Benin at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.

Bafana Bafana are unbeaten in their last 11 matches since losing to Morocco in a 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on 9 June 2022 and they drew 1-1 with Ivory Coast in a friendly last month. Hugo Broos' side will use this month's two 2026 World Cup qualifiers as preparation for their Afcon 2023 campaign early in the new year.

The Cheetahs will miss out on the continental showpiece after winning just of their six games in qualifying and they come into this encounter of the back of a 2-1 loss to Madagascar last month.

Niger and Tanzania will battle it out for three precious points at the Marrakesh Stadium. Morocco and Zambia are expected to contest top spot in Group E and any points the other four teams can pick up will be crucial in keeping their dreams alive.

The Menas and the Taifa Stars met as recently as June 18 in the Afcon 2023 qualifiers, which saw the East Africans emerge 1-0 victors to book their ticket to Ivory Coast, having drawn 1-1 in the reverse fixture.

Then later on in the evening, African champions Senegal will be heavy favourites when they welcome South Sudan to the Me. Abdoulaye Wade Stadium.

The Lions of Teranga have lost just once in 2023 (1-0 to Algeria in September) and they sent shockwaves around the world when they beat Brazil 4-2 in a friendly five months ago. The Bright Stars have suffered some big losses this year, although they managed to arrest a four-match losing streak with a 1-0 win over Kenya in September.

CAF 2026 World Cup qualifying fixtures:

Saturday, November 18

15h00: South Africa v Benin

18h00: Niger v Tanzania

21h00: Senegal v South Sudan