Members of the Uganda Cranes
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I Uganda’s Cranes stands a chance to advance to it’s first ever World Cup, going by the new Confederation of African Football (CAF) criteria in selecting the best runners up. Going by the table standing, Uganda stands to benefit as results against Somalia — the bottom team — will also be excluded.
Uganda sits on 12 points from six matches, keeping them in contention for a potential play-off slot.
CAF recently clarified how the continent’s four best runners-up will be determined for the continental play-offs — a move aimed at addressing the challenges posed by team withdrawals and uneven group participation.
Africa’s qualification format features nine groups of six teams each, with only the group winners qualifying automatically for the World Cup. The four best second-placed teams will progress to a CAF play-off tournament, from which one nation will earn a spot in the intercontinental play-offs.
However, CAF’s updated regulations account for special circumstances such as withdrawals and group size disparities.
According to CAF, results against the bottom-placed teams — or against any team that has withdrawn — will not be considered when comparing second-placed sides across all groups. If more than one team exits or is disqualified from a group, CAF will exclude an equal number of the lowest-ranked teams from that group’s calculations to maintain fairness. This rule directly impacts several ongoing qualification groups.
For instance, Eritrea’s withdrawal from Group E means that results against the lowest-ranked team will not count. Morocco currently leads that group ahead of Niger, Tanzania, Zambia, and Congo Republic.
As things stand, the top runners-up include Gabon (22 points, Group F), DR Congo (19, Group B), Madagascar (19, Group I), and Cameroon (18, Group D). Other strong contenders are Burkina Faso (18, Group A), South Africa (14, Group C), Namibia (15, Group H), and Niger (12, Group E).
CAF says the clarification aims to ensure fair and consistent evaluation across all groups, especially in a qualification campaign disrupted by irregularities and late withdrawals.
For Uganda, the final round of fixtures will be decisive. The Cranes’ qualification hopes now hinge not only on their last match performance but also on how results unfold in other groups.
As the qualifiers near their conclusion, all eyes are on the battle for the remaining play-off places — and the dream of representing Africa on the global stage in 2026.
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