Africa-Press – Mauritius. With just a week to the start of the African playoffs for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has unveiled sweeping reforms to its qualification framework — a move that has sparked widespread debate among fans, players, and football officials across the continent.
According to CAF, the changes are aimed at ensuring fairness, transparency, and competitiveness among all participating nations.
Key among the reforms are stricter referee selection procedures, revised kickoff times, and the compulsory use of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system in all playoff matches.
CAF emphasized that the expanded use of VAR is designed to curb the kind of officiating controversies that have plagued decisive fixtures in previous qualification campaigns.
The confederation also confirmed that neutral venues may be introduced for select high-risk fixtures, in a bid to minimize crowd disturbances and protect match officials from intimidation.
Another major regulation requires national teams to submit their final 26-man squad lists at least five days before kickoff.
CAF explained that this adjustment will allow adequate time to verify player eligibility and registration — a process that has occasionally led to disputes in past competitions.
However, the announcement has triggered mixed reactions across African football circles.
While some analysts have praised the reforms as long-overdue measures toward modernizing African football, others have criticized the timing, calling it a “last-minute disruption” that could unsettle teams in their final phase of preparation.
The upcoming playoffs promise to be intense, with heavyweights such as Nigeria, Gabon, Cameroon, and DR Congo set to battle for a single spot in the FIFA Intercontinental Playoff, scheduled to take place in Mexico in March 2026.
Nigeria will lock horns with Gabon in one of the semifinals next Thursday, while Cameroon and DR Congo will square off in the other.
The winners of both ties will face each other in the final to determine Africa’s representative at the intercontinental stage.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, marking the first time the tournament will feature 48 teams.
As anticipation builds across the continent, all eyes will now be on CAF’s ability to effectively implement these new regulations when the playoffs kick off next week — a moment that could redefine the future of African football on the global stage.
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