# 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification – CAF third round

The third round of CAF matches for 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification was played from 7 October 2016 to 14 November 2017.

## Format

A total of 20 teams which had advanced from the second round were drawn into five groups of four teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches. The winners of each group qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

## Seeding

The draw for the third round was held on 24 June 2016, 17:00 EET (UTC+2), at the CAF headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.
The seedings – initially released on 8 June 2016 – were based on a special edition of the FIFA World Rankings that included all matches up to 7 June 2016. This allowed the rankings to include results of the Africa Cup of Nations qualification games played between 3–5 June 2016. However, following a complaint by the Egyptian Football Association, it was reported that a further special ranking would be used. This seeding was released on 21 June. Following further complaints, the Emergency Bureau for the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers reversed the change, and restored the initial special rankings.
* Pot 1 contained the teams ranked 1–5.
* Pot 2 contained the teams ranked 6–10.
* Pot 3 contained the teams ranked 11–15.
* Pot 4 contained the teams ranked 16–20.
Each group contained one team from each of the four pots. The fixtures of each group were decided based on the respective draw position of each team, which was decided by drawing a ball with position numbers 1–4.
Note: Bolded teams qualified for the World Cup.
| Pot 1 | Pot 2 | Pot 3 | Pot 4 |
| Algeria (31) Ivory Coast (34) Ghana (36) Senegal (40) Tunisia (45) | Cape Verde (46) Egypt (47) DR Congo (49) Nigeria (57) Mali (58) | Cameroon (59) Morocco (60) Guinea (62) South Africa (66) Congo (67) | Uganda (69) Burkina Faso (71) Zambia (83) Gabon (88) Libya (115) |

## Groups

* 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification tiebreakers
* In league format, the ranking of teams in each group was based on the following criteria (regulations Articles 20.6 and 20.7):
* Points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss)
* Overall goal difference
* Overall goals scored
* Points in matches between tied teams
* Goal difference in matches between tied teams
* Goals scored in matches between tied teams
* Away goals scored in matches between tied teams (if the tie was only between two teams in home-and-away league format)
* Fair play points
* first yellow card: minus 1 point
* indirect red card (second yellow card): minus 3 points
* direct red card: minus 4 points
* yellow card and direct red card: minus 5 points
* Drawing of lots by the FIFA Organising Committee

### Group A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | | | | |
| 1 | Tunisia | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 4 | +7 | 14 | Qualification to 2018 FIFA World Cup | — | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 |
| 2 | DR Congo | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 7 | +7 | 13 | | 2–2 | — | 4–0 | 3–1 |
| 3 | Libya | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 10 | −6 | 4 | | 0–1 | 1–2 | — | 1–0 |
| 4 | Guinea | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 14 | −8 | 3 | | 1–4 | 1–2 | 3–2 | — |

### Group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | | | | |
| 1 | Nigeria | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 6 | +5 | 13 | Qualification to 2018 FIFA World Cup | — | 1–0 | 4–0 | 3–1 |
| 2 | Zambia | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 7 | +1 | 8 | | 1–2 | — | 2–2 | 3–1 |
| 3 | Cameroon | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 9 | −2 | 7 | | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 2–0 |
| 4 | Algeria | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 10 | −4 | 4 | | 3–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | — |
* ↑ FIFA awarded Algeria a 3–0 win as a result of Nigeria fielding the ineligible player Shehu Abdullahi, after the match had ended in a 1–1 draw. Abdullahi failed to serve a one-game ban after receiving two yellow cards in the qualifying competition.

### Group C

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | | | | |
| 1 | Morocco | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 0 | +11 | 12 | Qualification to 2018 FIFA World Cup | — | 0–0 | 3–0 | 6–0 |
| 2 | Ivory Coast | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 5 | +2 | 8 | | 0–2 | — | 1–2 | 3–1 |
| 3 | Gabon | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 7 | −5 | 6 | | 0–0 | 0–3 | — | 0–0 |
| 4 | Mali | 6 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 9 | −8 | 4 | | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | — |

### Group D

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | | | | |
| 1 | Senegal | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 3 | +7 | 14 | Qualification to 2018 FIFA World Cup | — | 0–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 |
| 2 | Burkina Faso | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 6 | +4 | 9 | | 2–2 | — | 4–0 | 1–1 |
| 3 | Cape Verde | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 12 | −8 | 6 | | 0–2 | 0–2 | — | 2–1 |
| 4 | South Africa | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 10 | −3 | 4 | | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–2 | — |
* ↑ FIFA ordered a replay of the original South Africa v Senegal match after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld the lifetime ban of match referee Joseph Lamptey. Originally South Africa had defeated Senegal 2–1.

### Group E

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | | | | |
| 1 | Egypt | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 4 | +4 | 13 | Qualification to 2018 FIFA World Cup | — | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 |
| 2 | Uganda | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 9 | | 1–0 | — | 0–0 | 1–0 |
| 3 | Ghana | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 5 | +2 | 7 | | 1–1 | 0–0 | — | 1–1 |
| 4 | Congo | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 12 | −7 | 2 | | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–5 | — |

## Goalscorers

There were 144 goals scored in 61 matches, for an average of 2.36 goals per match.
5 goals
* Mohamed Salah
4 goals
* Préjuce Nakoulma
* Khalid Boutaïb
3 goals
* Richmond Boakye
* Thomas Partey
* Victor Moses
* Youssef Msakni
* Brian Mwila
2 goals
* Yacine Brahimi
* Banou Diawara
* Alain Traoré
* Vincent Aboubakar
* Nuno Rocha
* Garry Rodrigues
* Cédric Bakambu
* Jonathan Bolingi
* Neeskens Kebano
* Dieumerci Mbokani
* Ndombe Mubele
* Abdallah El Said
* Naby Keïta
* Seydou Doumbia
* Hakim Ziyech
* Kelechi Iheanacho
* Alex Iwobi
* John Obi Mikel
* Cheikh N'Doye
* Diafra Sakho
* Percy Tau
* Collins Mbesuma
* Patson Daka
1 goal
* Nabil Bentaleb
* Hillal Soudani
* Issoufou Dayo
* Bertrand Traoré
* André-Frank Zambo Anguissa
* Benjamin Moukandjo
* Clinton N'Jie
* Franck Pangop
* Banana Yaya
* Marvin Baudry
* Thievy Bifouma
* Arnold Bouka Moutou
* Férébory Doré
* Vladis-Emmerson Illoy-Ayyet
* Yannick Bolasie
* Chancel Mbemba
* Paul-José M'Poku
* Shikabala
* Mario Lemina
* Axel Méyé
* Edwin Gyasi
* Alkhaly Bangoura
* Demba Camara
* Keita Karamokoba
* Seydouba Soumah
* Maxwel Cornet
* Gervinho
* Max Gradel
* Jonathan Kodjia
* Hamdou Elhouni
* Ali Elmusrati
* Motasem Sabbou
* Akram Zuway
* Sambou Yatabaré
* Fayçal Fajr
* Medhi Benatia
* Nabil Dirar
* Achraf Hakimi
* Mimoun Mahi
* Odion Ighalo
* John Ogu
* Moses Simon
* Keita Baldé
* Sadio Mané
* Kara Mbodji
* Opa Nguette
* Ismaïla Sarr
* Moussa Sow
* Dean Furman
* Thulani Hlatshwayo
* Andile Jali
* Tokelo Rantie
* Thulani Serero
* Sibusiso Vilakazi
* Themba Zwane
* Aymen Abdennour
* Anice Badri
* Mohamed Ben Amor
* Änis Ben-Hatira
* Ghailene Chaalali
* Wahbi Khazri
* Yassine Meriah
* Milton Karisa
* Farouk Miya
* Emmanuel Okwi
* Enock Mwepu
1 own goal
* Wilfred Moke (against Tunisia)
* Ousmane Sidibé (against DR Congo)
* Salif Coulibaly (against Ivory Coast)
* Thamsanqa Mkhize (against Senegal)