By Amaechi Agbo

The last week of March promises bumper packages in football as 10 Africa giants battle for 5 slots in the 2022 World Play-offs in ten venues across the continent.

After intense rounds which saw the participation of all 54 CAF Member Associations, ten (10) teams are still in contention for the five African places at the prestigious world tournament in Qatar November this year

The Confederation of Africa Football, CAF have fixed all the ten matches to hold same day.

The first leg of the last round is scheduled for Friday, 25 March 2022, while the second leg matches will be held on Tuesday, 29 March 2022.

For countries like Cameroon, the African nation holding the record for participation in the World Cup with 7 appearances, or Nigeria with their 6 appearances, it will first be a question of extending their records.

Since making her debut in 1994 edition in USA, Nigeria’s Super Eagles have participated in all tournaments but one. They played in 1998, 2002, 2010, 2014 and 2018 missing out on in 2006.

The Super Eagles, tutored by ex international, Augustine Eguavoen will battle perennial rivals, Ghana for a slot in Qatar.

Nigeria will play away to Ghana on March 25 with clash holding at the Cape Coast Stadium by 7:30 Ghana time. The return leg will hold at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on 29th March by 5pm

Cameroon on their part will navigate the hurdles posed by Algeria if they must be in their 8th World Cup.

The 2017 Africa Cup of Nations AFCON champions will host their successor, Algeria in the first leg at the Stade de Japoma Douala, on March 25th by 7pm. The return leg holds 4 days later at the Stade Mustapha Tchaker Blida, Algeria by 7:30pm Algeria time

Mali hope to win their first ticket for the World Cup. And to achieve this goal, the Malian FA has called for reinforcements on the Eagles’ bench, with the arrival of former internationals such as Frédéric Kanouté, Mohamed Lamine Sissoko, Eric Chelle and Seydou Keita to support current coach Mohamed Magassouba.

They have 2021 AFCON quarterfinalists, Tunisia to contend with. Mali will host the first leg by 5pm on March 25 at Stade du 26 mars Bamako while reverse fixture holds in Tunisia at the Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi Tunis, by 7:pm local time.

Morocco, seeking their 6th appearance will travel to DR Congo for their first leg at the Stade des Martyrs Kinshasa Stadium. The match will be an early kick-off by 3pm local time.

DR Congo will be on the road for the return fixture on Tuesday, March 29 at the Complexe Mohammed V Casablanca Stadium by 7:30pm.

Reigning African Champions Senegal are still on cloud nine and a third participation in World Cup after 2002 and 2018 will be the icing on the cake.

However, they face their 2021 AFCON fellow finalists, Egypt in a play-off that have pride and revenge all over it. Senegal defeated Egypt via penalty shootout to win their first ever AFCON diadem on February 6 and their World Cup play-off comes sooner than both countries would have envisaged.

With both nations parading the best Africa footballers in current form – Sadio Mane and Mohammed Salah both Liverpool players – the fans across the continent are eagerly anticipating another “classic final”

Egypt will host the first leg on March 25 by 7:30pm local time at the Cairo International Stadium with Senegal hosting the reverse fixture 4 days later at the Stade Olympique de Diamniadio Dakar. The match is slated to start by 5pm.

Below is the match schedule:

First Leg

Date Time Match Venue City

25.03.2022 15h00 DR Congo – Morocco Stade des Martyrs Kinshasa

25.03.2022 17h00 Mali – Tunisia Stade du 26 mars Bamako

25.03.2022 17h00 Cameroon – Algeria Stade de Japoma Douala

25.03.2022 19h30 Egypt – Senegal Cairo International Stadium Cairo

25.03.2022 19h30 Ghana – Nigeria Cape Coast Stadium Cape Coast

Second Leg

Date Time Match Venue City
29.03.2022 17h00 Senegal – Egypt Stade Olympique de Diamniadio Dakar

29.03.2022 17h00 Nigeria – Ghana MKO National Stadium Abuja

29.03.2022 19h30 Algeria – Cameroon Stade Mustapha Tchaker Blida

29.03.2022 19h30 Tunisia – Mali Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi Tunis

29.03.2022 19h30 Morocco – DR Congo Complexe Mohammed V Casablanca