1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)

Listed below are the dates and results for the 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for the African zone (CAF). For an overview of the qualification rounds, see the article 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification.

A total of 26 CAF teams entered the competition. The African Zone was allocated 1 place (out of 16) in the final tournament.

Format
There would be five rounds of play:
 * Preliminary Round, First Round, Second Round and Third Round: In each of these rounds, the teams were paired up to play knockout matches on a home-and-away basis. The winners would advance to the next round, until there would be 3 teams left.
 * Final Round: The 3 teams would play against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winner would qualify.

Preliminary round

 * }

Sierra Leone won 6–3 on agg. and advanced to the first round.

Upper Volta won 3–1 on agg. and advanced to the first round.

First round

 * }

Algeria won 1–0 on agg. and advanced to the second round.

The aggregate score was tied 2–2, but Tunisia won 4–2 on penalties in the second leg to advance to the second round. This was the first penalty shootout in a World Cup match.

Togo won 2–1 on agg. and advanced to the second round.

The aggregate score was tied 3–3, and a play-off on neutral ground was played to decide who would advance to the second round.

Guinea advanced to the second round, via the play-off.

Nigeria won 6–2 on agg. and advanced to the second round.

Congo-Brazzaville won 4–2 on agg. and advanced to the second round.

Côte d'Ivoire won 3–1 on agg. and advanced to the second round.

Egypt won 5–1 on agg. and advanced to the second round.

Zambia won 5–0 on agg. and advanced to the second round.

Central African Republic withdrew, so Zaire advanced to the second round automatically.

Sudan withdrew, so Kenya advanced to the second round automatically.

Tanzania withdrew, so Uganda advanced to the second round automatically.

Second round

 * }

Tunisia won 3–1 on agg. and advanced to the third round.

Guinea won 4–1 on agg. and advanced to the third round.

Ivory Coast won 6–3 on agg. and advanced to the third round.

Egypt won 1–0 on agg. and advanced to the third round.

Zambia won 4–3 on agg. and advanced to the third round.

Zaire withdrew, so Nigeria advanced to the third round automatically.

Third round

 * }

Tunisia won 3–2 on agg. and advanced to the Final Round.

Nigeria won 6–2 on agg. and advanced to the Final Round.

Egypt won 2–0 on agg. and advanced to the Final Round.

Final round
Tunisia qualified.

Qualified teams

 * 1 Bold indicates champions for that year. Italic indicates hosts for that year.

Goalscorers

 * 6 goals


 * 🇪🇬 Mahmoud El Khatib


 * 4 goals


 * 🇳🇬 Segun Odegbami


 * 3 goals


 * 🇨🇮 Kobenan Kouman
 * 🇨🇮 Jérôme Lèbre Mamahou
 * 🇪🇬 Mostafa Abdou
 * Papa Camara
 * 🇳🇬 Thompson Usiyan
 * 🇹🇳 Mohamed Akid


 * 2 goals


 * 🇨🇲 Roger Milla
 * Jean-Jacques N'Doumba
 * 🇨🇮 Leon Goua G'Bize
 * 🇪🇬 Farouk Gaafar
 * 🇳🇬 Alloysius Atuegbu
 * 🇳🇬 Godwin Iwelumo
 * 🇸🇱 Kama Dumbuya
 * 🇸🇱 Wasieu Sounomu
 * 🇹🇳 Abderraouf Ben Aziza
 * 🇹🇳 Khemais Labidi
 * 🇹🇳 Témime Lahzami
 * Joseph Kaboré
 * Bernard Chanda
 * Godfrey Chitalu
 * Willie Phiri


 * 1 goal


 * Omar Betrouni
 * Mahmoud Guendouz
 * 🇨🇲 Jean Manga Onguéné
 * Jonas Bahamboula
 * Daniel Ebomoa
 * Pierre Lingongo
 * Joseph Mounoudzi
 * Joseph Wamba
 * 🇨🇮 Gaston Bawa
 * 🇨🇮 Lucien Kouassi Kouame
 * 🇨🇮 Pascal Miézan
 * 🇪🇬 Ahmed Abdel Baki
 * 🇪🇬 Maher Hammam
 * 🇪🇬 Ossama Khalil
 * 🇪🇬 Mokhtar Mokhtar
 * 🇪🇹 Tekalinge Kassahun
 * 🇬🇭 Opoku Afriyle
 * 🇬🇭 Ofei Ansah
 * 🇬🇭 Ibrahim Kassum
 * Ousmane Badara Bangoura
 * Youssuf Camara
 * Mamadou Aliou Keita
 * Chérif Souleymane
 * Ali Sylla
 * Ismael Sylla
 * Seydouba Sylla
 * Ousmane Thiam Tollo
 * Gagny Coulibaly
 * 🇲🇦 Abdelghani Lakhal
 * 🇲🇦 Mustapha Tahir
 * Boukari Adamou
 * Moussa Kanfideni
 * Sanda Seydou
 * 🇳🇬 Adokie Amiesimaka
 * 🇳🇬 Kunle Awesu
 * 🇳🇬 Christian Chukwu
 * 🇳🇬 Kelechi Emeteole
 * 🇳🇬 Johnny N'Wadioha
 * 🇳🇬 Samuel Ojebode
 * 🇸🇳 Abdoulaye Ba
 * 🇸🇱 Ismail Dyfan
 * 🇸🇱 Mohammed Sama
 * 🇸🇱 William Sango
 * 🇸🇱 Samuel Tray
 * Anani Afanou
 * Tabania Ametepé
 * Alirou Rachidou
 * 🇹🇳 Tarak Dhiab
 * 🇹🇳 Amor Jebali
 * 🇹🇳 Néjib Liman
 * 🇹🇳 Ali Kaabi
 * 🇹🇳 Moncef Khouini
 * 🇺🇬 Abdulla Nasur
 * 🇺🇬 Denis Obua
 * 🇺🇬 Polly Ouma
 * Joseph Ouattara
 * Kouligo Zoma
 * Alex Chola
 * Obby Kapita


 * 1 own goal


 * 🇲🇼 Jack Chamangwana (playing against Zambia)
 * 🇳🇬 Godwin Odiye (playing against Tunisia)