The nine CAF group winners are guaranteed a place at next summer’s tournament, with Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt and Algeria having already booked their spots, while the four best runners-up will enter a play-off to decide who will progress through to the wider inter-confederation play-offs. South Africa had looked to be closing in on qualification for a first World Cup since hosting in 2010, only to be docked three points by FIFA as a result of fielding a suspended player against Lesotho in March.
