Ivory Coast, Morocco face tricky ties in WCQ

Africa’s 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers will wrap up Matchday 4 with 13 fixtures across the continent, headlined by potentially tricky clashes for heavyweights Ivory Coast and Morocco.

Ivory Coast, the reigning African champions, have made a perfect start in the qualifiers to top Group F with nine points, but they will need to be wary of Kenya for a match in Lilongwe, Malawi – with the Harambee Stars looking to boost their hopes of qualifying for the global showpiece for the first time, as they continue to make progress under coach Engin Firat.

“I'm not unhappy with the way we played, especially if people knew the conditions we faced and what happened in these days. So, therefore, I'm happy with the way the boys played, but not with the result,” said the Turkish tactician after their 1-1 draw with Burundi last week.

Group F will also feature Gabon and Gambia meeting in Franceville, as well as Seychelles tackling Burundi in Berkane.

Morocco, who reached the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup, top Group E with a full haul of six points and will look to make it three wins from as many matches when they face Congo ‘away’ – which ironically will be on their own home soil in Agadir due to the Red Devils’ lack of a CAF-approved venue.

The Atlas Lions secured a key win over Zambia on Friday, with coach Walid Regragui admitting that his side can still improve on their attacking play.

“We can do better offensively than in the last three games,” said the tactician. “It’s a debate that has existed since the 2022 World Cup. But I am not worried because we managed to create chances.”

Group E will also see Zambia take on Tanzania in Ndola, with Chipolopolo chasing a second home win.

Elsewhere, South Africa and Zimbabwe will renew their rivalry with a key Group C clash in Bloemfontein, while Lesotho will look to keep up their unbeaten record in the same pool when they take on Rwanda in Durban.

Group I has been one of the most engrossing of the campaign thus far and the meetings of Madagascar and Mali in Johannesburg, as well as Chad and Comoros in Oujda, promise to add further intrigue.

In addition, Cameroon will look to keep themselves at the top of Group D when they tackle Angola in Luanda – though any slip up from the Indomitable Lions will allow the Palancas Negras, as well as Cape Verde or Libya (who meet in Praia), to steal a march on them.

Tuesday also brings an historic clash between South Sudan and Sudan in Group B – the teams have not met in a full competitive fixture before, with their only previous clashes coming in the regional CECAFA Cup in 2015.

CAF World Cup Qualifying fixtures, Tuesday 11 June

Times CAT

3pm: South Sudan v Sudan

3pm: Mauritius v Eswatini

3pm: Zambia v Tanzania

3pm: Madagascar v Mali

3pm: Kenya v Ivory Coast

6pm: South Africa v Zimbabwe

6pm: Lesotho v Rwanda

6pm: Cape Verde v Libya

6pm: Congo v Morocco

6pm: Chad v Comoros

9pm: Angola v Cameroon

9pm: Gabon v Gambia

9pm: Seychelles v Burundi