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Super Eagles set for Gabon clash in World Cup play-offs

The mini-tournament will be held in Morocco from November 13 to 16, featuring Nigeria, Gabon, Cameroon, and DR Congo.

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Nigeria’s Super Eagles will square off against Gabon in the semi-finals of the African zone play-offs for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, following the conclusion of the group stage on Tuesday.

In football, “play-off” refers to either an extra game played to break a tie at the end of a match or a series of games played after the regular season to determine a champion. These are high-stakes games to decide a winner when teams have the same score, or they are played between the leading teams to determine the ultimate champion.

The mini-tournament will be held in Morocco from November 13 to 16, featuring Nigeria, Gabon, Cameroon, and DR Congo.

The three-time African champions stormed into the play-offs with an emphatic 4–0 thrashing of the Benin Republic, sealing second place in their qualifying group.

Gabon also booked their spot after a 2–0 win over Burundi, aided by the Ivory Coast’s victory against Kenya, which left the Panthers in second place in Group F.

Elsewhere, DR Congo edged Sudan 1–0 to finish runners-up to Senegal in Group B, while Cameroon clinched second place in Group D behind Cape Verde, rounding out the four best runners-up heading to the play-offs.

The format will see the two semi-final winners face off in a single-leg final for a ticket to the inter-confederation play-offs in March 2026, where one African team will have a final shot at qualifying for the World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

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FIFA proposes one‑minute off‑field rule for injured players

If approved, the measure would be incorporated into football’s global rulebook.

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FIFA on Monday proposed a new rule that would require players who receive on-field medical treatment to remain off the pitch for at least one minute.

BBC Sport reported that the proposal which is aimed at reducing time-wasting on the pitch, will be discussed during the annual general meeting of the International Football Association Board, the body responsible for the Laws of the Game.

If approved, the measure would be incorporated into football’s global rulebook.

At present, the Laws of the Game do not specify a mandatory period that injured players must stay off the field after treatment. Domestic competitions are allowed to implement their own guidelines.

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48 nations to compete as FIFA releases schedule for Series 2026

Twelve groups of four teams each—nine men’s groups and three women’s groups—will compete, hosted by 11 FIFA Member Associations.

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FIFA has released the full match schedule for the FIFA Series 2026, the expanded edition of its international friendly tournament, which will bring together 48 national teams from all six confederations.

The fixtures, published on the association’s website on Monday, are scheduled for the March and April 2026 international match window.

Twelve groups of four teams each—nine men’s groups and three women’s groups—will compete, hosted by 11 FIFA Member Associations.

Rwanda will stage two groups, while other hosts include Australia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Switzerland, Thailand, and Uzbekistan.

All matches are official international friendlies and will be broadcast globally, providing fans worldwide with access and giving participating teams valuable exposure, particularly for those that rarely face opponents from other confederations.

According to FIFA, participating Member Associations have chosen their preferred competition formats within each group, either a semi-final and final structure.

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FIFA commits $75m to rebuild war-damaged football facilities in Gaza

According to FIFA, the initiative includes plans to construct a football academy, a new 20,000-seat national stadium and dozens of mini-pitches across Gaza.

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The world football governing body, FIFA, has announced plans to mobilise $75 million to rebuild football facilities in Gaza destroyed during the war between Israel and Hamas.

The announcement was made on Thursday during the inaugural meeting of the “Board of Peace,” convened in Washington by U.S. President Donald Trump. FIFA President Gianni Infantino also attended the meeting, which focused primarily on reconstruction efforts in the Gaza Strip.

Trump disclosed that FIFA would help raise “a total of $75 million for projects in Gaza,” noting that the initiative would include football-related investments such as playing fields and high-profile visits by global football stars.

“I’m also pleased to announce that FIFA will be helping to raise a total of $75 million for projects in Gaza,” Trump said, adding that the projects would centre on building fields and attracting some of the sport’s biggest names.

According to FIFA, the initiative includes plans to construct a football academy, a new 20,000-seat national stadium and dozens of mini-pitches across Gaza.

The first phase will prioritise building small-sided fields within three to six months, while the proposed stadium is expected to take between 18 and 36 months to complete.

FIFA also confirmed plans to help establish youth and amateur leagues as part of the long-term development strategy.

Infantino described the agreement as “a landmark partnership” designed to channel investment into football, supporting recovery efforts in post-conflict areas.

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