⚽ The World Cup beckons the Pharaohs: Our homegrown team will be facing Djibouti in the ninth round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers at 7pm today. The match is nominally a home game for Djibouti, but takes place at Stade Larbi Zaouli in Morocco as the country’s stadiums don’t meet CAF standards.

Group standings: Egypt leads Group A with 20 points, followed by Burkina Faso with 15 points — they are the only two teams from the group who automatically qualify for spots in the World Cup. Sierra Leone (12 points) and Guinea-Bissau (10 points) are limited to competing for second place and a spot in the global playoffs. Ethiopia sits in fifth place with six points and no hopes for qualifying. Djibouti, the only team in Group A yet to secure a single qualifying match, trails the rest of the teams with just one point.

The Pharaohs need a victory by any margin over Djibouti to officially seal their World Cup berth, though even a draw or defeat could suffice if Burkina Faso draws or loses to Sierra Leone in their simultaneous fixture. What if Burkina clinches their match and Egypt drops points? The Pharaohs would still have a chance to qualify in Sunday’s final round against Guinea Bissau.

Key African qualifying matches we’re following this weekend:

  • Libya vs. Cape Verde — Group D (4pm);
  • Mauritius vs. Cameroon — Group D (4pm);
  • Central African Republic vs. Ghana — Group I (7pm);
  • Somalia vs. Algeria — Group G (Thursday, 7pm);
  • South Sudan vs. Senegal — Group B (Friday, 4pm);
  • Sudan vs. Mauritania — Group B (Friday, 4pm);
  • Seychelles vs. Côte d’Ivoire — Group F (Friday, 4pm);
  • Lesotho vs. Nigeria — Group C (Friday, 7pm);
  • Zimbabwe vs. South Africa — Group C (Friday, 7pm);
  • São Tomé e Príncipe vs. Tunisia — Group H (Friday, 7pm).

Top European World Cup qualifying fixtures (all kicking off at 9:45pm):

  • Malta vs. Netherlands — Group G (Thursday);
  • Czechia vs. Croatia — Group L (Thursday);
  • Belgium vs. North Macedonia — Group J (Friday);
  • France vs. Azerbaijan — Group D (Friday);
  • Germany vs. Luxembourg — Group A (Friday);
  • Sweden vs. Switzerland — Group B (Friday);
  • Estonia vs. Italy — Group K (Saturday);
  • Portugal vs. Ireland — Group F (Saturday);
  • Spain vs. Georgia — Group E (Saturday).
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