CameroonOnline.ORG | In an unexpected twist during the African qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Cameroon has surged back into contention for a playoff spot—thanks not to a late goal or dramatic win, but to a little-known rule buried in a CAF circular from March 2025.
A Regulation Hidden in Plain Sight
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) had quietly updated its qualification rules earlier this year. In a letter dated March 14, 2025, CAF outlined new criteria for determining the four best second-placed teams across the nine qualifying groups. This change came in response to the withdrawal of certain teams, notably Eritrea, whose absence left uneven group sizes and created potential unfairness.
To maintain balance, CAF decided that results against the bottom team in each group would be excluded when calculating the ranking of the best runners-up. The intent was to ensure that teams from smaller or incomplete groups—like those missing Eritrea—would not be unfairly disadvantaged.
However, this adjustment went largely unnoticed. According to L’Équipe, even national team staff were unaware of the update until this week, when CAF’s clarification began circulating again among member federations.
Cameroon’s Fortunes Turn Overnight
For Cameroon, the overlooked rule proved transformative. The Indomitable Lions, who had dropped points in a frustrating draw with Eswatini, suddenly found themselves climbing back among the top four runners-up once results against each group’s last-placed team were removed from consideration.
Before the recalculation, Cameroon appeared to be slipping out of contention for the CAF playoff tournament. After the adjustment, however, they now sit second in the revised “best runners-up” standings, trailing only Gabon and ahead of the DR Congo and Madagascar.
A win in their upcoming clash against Angola could secure them a place in the intercontinental playoffs—and potentially another World Cup appearance. As L’Équipe noted, “a victory on Monday would guarantee them a playoff berth, perhaps more if Cape Verde fails to beat Eswatini.”
How CAF’s Rule Works
According to the CAF circular:
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The 54 African nations were divided into nine groups of six.
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Each group winner qualifies directly for the 2026 World Cup.
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The four best second-placed teams advance to a continental playoff, whose winner moves on to an intercontinental playoff.
To ensure fairness, if a group was reduced to fewer than six teams (as happened when Eritrea withdrew), CAF mandated that results against the last-placed team be excluded when ranking the second-placed sides.
This adjustment mirrors similar procedures used in previous international qualifiers but had not been widely publicized this time. The delayed communication caused confusion, and some teams learned of it only after their standings had changed.
A Justified but Belated Correction
While the decision itself is logical, many observers—including L’Équipe journalist Hervé Penot—have questioned why the clarification came so late. “How could such a crucial regulation point go unnoticed by even national federations?” he wrote. “It should have been clarified at the start of the qualifiers, not midway.”
Nevertheless, for Cameroon, the timing could not have been better. What once seemed a lost campaign now offers renewed hope. The rule has effectively “reshuffled the cards,” as L’Équipe put it, breathing new life into the Lions’ World Cup dream.
The Current Standings (Best Runners-Up)
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Gabon – 22 pts (+11)
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DR Congo – 19 pts (+8)
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Madagascar – 19 pts (+8)
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Cameroon – 14 pts (+9 after recalculation)
The road to North America is still long, but for Rigobert Song’s men, this rediscovered regulation might just be the lifeline they needed.