WORLD CUP 26: FIFA has released the pots for the upcoming qualifiers, Black Stars is likely to face Nigeria and other two big countries
FIFA has recently revealed the pots for the African qualifying draw of the 2026 World Cup, which is set to be jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Ghana’s national football team, known as the Black Stars, has been placed in Pot 2 and is highly likely to face their long-standing rival, Nigeria.
The draw, scheduled for July 12, will determine the groupings for the qualifying campaign leading up to the 2026 tournament. This means that Ghana could potentially be pitted against formidable opponents such as Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia, Cameroon, Mali, and Ivory Coast.
In this qualifying draw, the countries will be divided into nine groups, each consisting of six teams. The group winners will secure direct qualification to the 2026 World Cup. However, the four best second-placed teams will engage in a mini-tournament, where the ultimate victor will advance to an intercontinental playoff.
Ghana notably ousted Nigeria’s national team, the Super Eagles, during the previous playoffs, securing their place in the 2022 tournament held in Qatar.
Outlined below are the pots for the African qualifying draw: Pot 1: Nigeria, Morocco, Senegal, Algeria, Tunisia, Cameroon, Mali, Egypt, Ivory Coast Pot 2: Ghana, Burkina Faso, South Africa, Cape Verde, DR Congo, Guinea, Zambia, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea Pot 3: Angola, Benin, Kenya, Mauritania, Congo, Uganda, Madagascar, Guinea Bissau, Namibia Pot 4: Mozambique, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Togo, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Central African Republic, Malawi, Libya Pot 5: Niger, Comoros, Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Botswana, Liberia Pot 6: Lesotho, South Sudan, Mauritius, Chad, Sao Tome, Djibouti, Seychelles, Eritrea, Somalia
