African stars Victor Osimhen of Nigeria and Bryan Mbeumo of Cameroon both dream of shining on football’s grandest stage at the 2026 World Cup – but only one can keep that dream alive.
The two nations are just two wins away from a potential ticket to the global showpiece, with Nigeria facing Gabon and Cameroon meeting the Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday in Rabat, Morocco, in the semifinals of Africa’s World Cup playoff series.
The victors will return to the same Moroccan capital on Sunday for the decisive final, which will determine who advances to next March’s intercontinental playoffs – the last gateway to the expanded 48-team World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Whoever advances will join representatives from Central America and the Caribbean, as well as Bolivia, New Caledonia and either Iraq or the United Arab Emirates, in a final battle for two remaining World Cup spots.
With Nigeria entering as strong favorites and Cameroon narrowly tipped to edge their semifinal, both sides know the margins are razor-thin – and that one nation’s dream will end in Rabat while the other’s World Cup journey will just be beginning.
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 get a second chance – and Osimhen and Mbeumo could play key roles in deciding which country moves closer to giving Africa a 10th representative.
Osimhen scored a hat trick against Benin in a 4-0 final-round win last month, which allowed Nigeria to edge Burkina Faso on goal difference for the last runners-up slot.
Switching to the Champions League, he notched another hat trick last week for Galatasaray at Ajax, and he leads 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 Chelle, 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 favored of the four contenders.
But if Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, the last two African Player of the Year winners, can form a formidable strike partnership, Gabon also have an attacking duo to match.
Los Angeles-based Denis Bouanga is among 10 nominees for the 2025 African Player of the Year after scoring eight times in World Cup qualifying.
Veteran Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Marseille scored 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 run in the Premier League.
The 26-year-old former Brentford striker was voted player of the month for October in the world’s most-watched domestic league.
Belgium-born Cameroon coach Marc Brys hopes Mbeumo can bring his club form 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 Group D winners Cape Verde.
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 0-0 draw.
Only six places in the FIFA world rankings separate Cameroon and DR Congo, who will be without injured Newcastle United winger Yoane Wissa.
The Congolese appeared set to win their group before surrendering a two-goal lead in a home loss to Senegal.