Half of the games in Africa will be played out of the host country...

Continuing their fight to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 2006, Ivory Coast will host Gambia at home (22:00). The Elephants already took a huge step toward their goal in the previous round, securing a 1-0 victory over Burundi at Stade d'Honneur de Meknes on Friday.

In just his second appearance for the national team, Evann Guessand put Ivory Coast ahead in the 11th minute, and that goal proved to be more than enough for three crucial points. Coach Emerse Fae can be extremely pleased with his team’s start to the year, especially considering how things looked back in December when they lost to Burkina Faso in the Africa Cup of Nations playoffs.

With Friday’s win, Ivory Coast remains one of six teams in the qualifiers that are still unbeaten, boasting five wins and one draw. This record puts them at the top of Group F with a one-point lead over Gabon.

On the other hand, Gambia has managed to collect only four points from a possible 15. They have conceded 12 goals and scored the same amount in five matches, leaving them in fifth place in the standings, just above Seychelles, one of four teams still waiting to earn their first points.

As for other matches today, Namibia will face Equatorial Guinea in South Africa, while three games will take place in Morocco due to unsuitable conditions in the host countries: Madagascar vs. Ghana, Central African Republic vs. Mali, and Ethiopia vs. Djibouti.

2026 WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS - AFRICA

Round 5

Saturday

Togo - Mauritania 2-2 (1-0)

/Klidje 4, Denkey 69 - Koita 52, Mahmoud 55/

Sudan - Senegal 0-0

Sunday

Eswatini - Mauritius 3-3 (2-0)

/Mkhontfo 13, 18, Mabuza 75 - Rose 47, Aristide 50, Vincent 90+1/

Kenya - Gabon 1-2 (0-1)

/Olunga 62 - Aubameyang 16, 52 pen/

Monday

Namibia - Equatorial Guinea IN PROGRESS

19.00: (10.0) Cental African Republic (4.80) Mali (1.35)

19.00: (2.85) Guinea B. (2.85) Burkina Faso (2.85)

19.00: (1.30) Liberia (5.00) Sao Tome (12.0)

22.00: (1.37) Ivory Coast (4.80) Gambia (9.00)

22.00: (4.50) Madagascar (3.45) Ghana (1.85)

00.00: (1.37) Ethiopia (4.50) Djibouti (10.0)

00.00: (1.23) Tunisia (6.25) Malawi (13.0)

***odds are subject to changes***