Portugal Stunned as Hungary Deny CR7’s Side Automatic Qualification
Nigeria will face Gabon in the semi-finals of the African section of the 2026 FIFA World Cup play-offs, following the conclusion of the group-stage qualifiers on Tuesday.
The Super Eagles booked their spot in style with a commanding 4–0 victory over Benin earlier in the day. Gabon secured their place as runners-up in Group F after defeating Burundi 2–0, while Ivory Coast’s emphatic win over Kenya saw them top the group.
Elsewhere, DR Congo clinched qualification with a hard-fought 1–0 win over Sudan to finish second in Group B behind Senegal. Cameroon also advanced after securing second place in Group D, just behind Cape Verde.
The play-offs , featuring the four best runners-up from the nine African qualifying groups — will take place in Morocco from 13 to 16 November.
Meanwhile, in Europe, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal suffered a major setback in their World Cup campaign after being held to a dramatic 2–2 draw by Hungary in Lisbon. Ronaldo scored twice, but late goals from Attila Szalai and Dominik Szoboszlai earned the visitors a share of the spoils.
The result means Portugal, boasting an estimated squad value of €979 million, missed out on automatic qualification and will now face a tense play-off route to the 2026 World Cup.
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