2010 FIFA World Cup qualification – CAF third round

This page provides the summaries of the CAF third round matches for the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification. The 20 qualifiers (the 12 group winners and the best 8 runners-up from the second round) were split into five groups of four, in the draw held on 22 October 2008 in Zürich. Teams in each group will play a home-and-away round-robin in 2009, with the 5 groups winners advancing to the World Cup Finals in South Africa (together with hosts South Africa).

This round also doubles as the qualification stage for the 2010 African Cup of Nations, with the top three teams in each group qualifying for the finals (together with hosts Angola).

Seeding
Teams were seeded based on their FIFA World Rankings in October 2008 (number in parentheses). One team from each of the following pots was drawn into each group.

Tiebreaking play-off
Alleged crowd violence at the playoff and the preceding match led to diplomatic tension between Egypt and Algeria.

Group E

 * 19 people were killed in a stampede before this match.