Osimhen, Mbeumo, other key players in African World Cup play-offs

Star African strikers, Victor Osimhen of Nigeria and Bryan Mbeumo of Cameroon, are aiming to feature at the 2026 FIFA World Cup — but only one of them can succeed.

Nigeria face Gabon, while Cameroon meet the Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday in Rabat, Morocco, in the semi-finals of the African play-offs for the global showpiece.

The winners will clash on Sunday, also in the Moroccan capital, with a place in the intercontinental play-offs next March at stake.

Whoever represents Africa will be joined by two teams from the Central America/Caribbean region, as well as Bolivia, New Caledonia, and Iraq or the United Arab Emirates, with two World Cup slots up for grabs.

Nigeria are firm favourites, and Cameroon slight favourites, to reach the final and continue the fight to be among the 48 qualifiers for the expanded World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

When a 10-round African qualifying competition ended last month, Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, and Tunisia secured qualification as group winners.

Now, the four best runners-up have a second chance, and Osimhen and Mbeumo could play key roles in determining which country moves closer to giving Africa a 10th representative at the tournament.

Osimhen scored a hat-trick against Benin in a 4–0 final-round win last month, enabling Nigeria to pip Burkina Faso on goal difference for the final runners-up slot.

Switching to the UEFA Champions League, he notched another treble last week for Galatasaray at Ajax Amsterdam and is the leading scorer in the competition with six goals.

“I love Victor. He is the best striker in the world,” said Eric Chelle, the Ivory Coast-born coach of the Super Eagles.

“It will be very difficult in Morocco,” added the tactician, who boasts four wins and two draws in competitive matches since taking charge.

Dynamic Gabon duo

Although Gabon had the best record among the four runners-up — with eight wins and a draw — they are ranked 36 places below Nigeria in the world and are the least fancied of the four contenders.

But while Osimhen and Ademola Lookman — the last two African Player of the Year award winners — could form a formidable strike partnership, Gabon can also count on a dynamic attacking duo.

Los Angeles-based Denis Bouanga is among 10 nominees for the 2025 African Player of the Year, having scored eight times in World Cup qualifying.

Veteran Marseille striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang netted seven times in qualifying and, at 36, knows this may be his last chance to appear at a World Cup.

“We have discovered many new players, and the team now has a solid core. Gabon are capable of achieving great things,” Bouanga said.

Meanwhile, Mbeumo has scored four goals in his last four appearances for Manchester United, helping the Red Devils to a five-match unbeaten Premier League run.

The 26-year-old former Brentford forward was voted Player of the Month for October in the most-watched domestic league in the world.

Belgium-born Cameroon coach Marc Brys hopes Mbeumo can transfer his predatory instincts from England to Morocco and steer the Indomitable Lions to the final.

Cameroon have qualified for the World Cup eight times — an African record — but finished four points behind surprise qualifiers Cape Verde in Group D.

Needing maximum points from their final group match at home against Angola to have a chance of overtaking Cape Verde, they were held to a goalless draw.

Only six places in the world rankings separate Cameroon and DR Congo, who will be without injured Newcastle United winger Yoane Wissa.

The Congolese had looked set to finish as group winners before blowing a two-goal lead in a home defeat to Senegal.

AFP
Source: Punch