Overview

• Qatar secured qualification with a 2-1 win over the UAE, converting two Akram Afif set pieces as Julen Lopetegui’s side booked a second straight World Cup.
• South Africa beat Rwanda 3-0 to top CAF Group C on 18 points and return to the World Cup for the first time since hosting in 2010 despite an earlier three-point deduction.
• Nigeria eliminated group leaders Benin with a 4-0 victory in Uyo behind a Victor Osimhen hat trick and will proceed to a playoff route, while Benin missed a first-ever berth.
• CAF has scheduled a four-team runners-up repechage in Morocco with single-match semifinals on November 13 and a final on November 16 to produce Africa’s interconfederation playoff representative.
• Outside Africa, unusual paths remain possible, with reports outlining a narrow Nations League–linked scenario that could still deliver San Marino a European playoff place if specific results align.