World Cup Qualification CAF Home

World Cup Qualification CAF Overview

Lewa, Donnarumma & 11 stars at risk of missing the World Cup

The final international window before the end of the 2025-26 club season is here. For most of the globe's traditional powerhouses, this month is about finetuning ahead of the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada. But not every team has the luxury of such forward planning, with several big-hitters still yet to punch their ticket to the tournament.

World Cup 2026 draw: Everything you need to know

The latest information on the World Cup 2026 draw, including the date, what to expect in terms of teams and pots, and how to watch.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup Countdown Clock Is Unveiled In Mexico City

FIFA Play-Off Tournament: Everything you need to know

FIFA Play-Off Tournament — how it works, who qualifies, seeding, format, schedule and other key points you should know.

World Cup trophy Christian Pulisic Edson Alvarez

World Cup 2026: Full list of qualified teams

GOAL breaks down all the confirmed qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, plus the teams who could soon be on their way.

Nigeria head coach accuses DR Congo staff of 'doing voodoo'

Nigeria manager Eric Chelle has accused rivals on DR Congo’s coaching staff of “doing voodoo” during a fiery penalty shootout that ended the Super Eagles’ hopes of reaching the 2026 World Cup. With emotions running high towards the end of an encounter that finished 1-1 after extra-time, Chelle has insinuated that Congo turned to dark arts in order to prevail.

📽️ | Mbeumo devastated after Cameroon's World Cup dream ends

Bryan Mbeumo cut a heartbroken figure after Cameroon's World Cup hopes collapsed in dramatic fashion, with the Manchester United star storming off alone after a stoppage-time defeat to DR Congo. The Indomitable Lions suffered a crushing 1-0 loss in the CAF play-offs, ending their bid to reach the 2026 tournament and leaving their talisman visibly emotional in the rain.

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	PTS	Form
1	Barcelona	29	24	1	4	78	28	50	73	W W W W W
2	Real Madrid	29	22	3	4	63	26	37	69	W W W L L
3	Villarreal	29	18	4	7	54	34	20	58	W D W L W
4	Atlético Madrid	29	17	6	6	49	28	21	57	L W W W W
5	Real Betis	29	11	11	7	44	37	7	44	L D L D D

Pos

Team

+/-

PTS

Form

Barcelona

W
W
W
W
W

Real Madrid

W
W
W
L
L

Villarreal

W
D
W
L
W

Atlético Madrid

L
W
W
W
W

Real Betis

L
D
L
D
D

Frequently asked questions

Who has won the most Conference League titles?

Since the Conference League's inception in 2021, three teams have lifted the trophy: Roma, West Ham United, and the current champions, Olympiacos.

How many teams are in the Conference League?

The newest format, introduced ahead of the 2024-25 season, features 36 teams, four more than in the previous format.

Who has made the most Conference League appearances ever?

Mainz 05 midfielder Hong Hyun-seok and Gent captain Sven Kums have made 39 appearances each in the Conference League, making them the players with the most appearances in the competition.

Who is the all-time top scorer of the Conference League?

As for top goalscorers, Arthur Cabral leads the list with 21 goals to his name, including those scored in the qualifying phase. However, without taking into account goals scored in the qualifying phase, three players have scored the joint-most goals in Conference League with 12 each to their names: Arthur Cabral, Eran Zahavi, and Vangelis Pavlidis.

Who has the most assists in the history of the Conference League?

Darian Males, Gavriel Kanichowsky, and Cristiano Biraghi have the most assists in Conference League history, registering eight assists each.

Who is the oldest player ever in the Conference League and how old was he?

Veteran Spanish goalkeeper Pepe Reina, while playing for Villarreal in 2023, became the oldest player to feature in the Conference League at 40 years and 175 days.

Who is the youngest player ever in the Conference League and how old was he?

Lille wonderkid Ayyoub Bouaddi holds the record as the Conference League's youngest-ever player at the tender age of 16 years and 3 days.

Which famous players have played in the Conference League?

Stars such as Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Tammy Abraham, Declan Rice, Harry Kane, Ollie Watkins,Co Mario Gotze, Kasper Schmeichel, Cody Gakpo, Stephan El Shaarawy, James Maddison, Jonathan David, and Edin Dzeko have played in the Conference League.

Which famous managers have managed in the Conference League?

Manuel Pellegrini, Jose Mourinho, Unai Emery, David Moyes, and Ange Postecoglou are among the most famous managers to have managed in the Conference League.