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Rarely has an international break largely devoid of competitive fixtures felt so loaded for Africa's national sides, with the continent still reeling in the aftermath of a chaotic Africa Cup of Nations, while one final FIFA World Cup ticket is still to be contested.
There are plenty of storylines to follow and themes to keep tabs on over the coming days, as Africa will be glad to turn its attention back to the pitch after a damaging week in which CAF's decision to strip Senegal of the AFCON title and award it to Morocco was broadly condemned internationally.
While the World Cup-bound sides will see this international break as a critical window to sharpen their approach and refine their tactics ahead to the trip to the USA, Canada and Mexico — with squad contenders getting a last opportunity to make their claim — the teams missing out on the tournament will have the opportunity to begin a new cycle in style.
DRC on the brink of history
We start in Zapopan, Mexico, where the Democratic Republic of Congo are one of six international playoff hopefuls seeking one of the two outstanding non-UEFA tickets for the tournament later this year.
The Leopards — along with Iraq — are one of two seeded teams for FIFA's Inter-confederation playoffs, and will face the winner of the New Caledonia-Jamaica match which will take place at the same venue on March 26.
The Central Africans will then face the winner of that match in a final playoff to qualify for the World Cup, where, if they are successful, they will be pitted against Portugal, Uzbekistan and Colombia in Group K.
Sebastien Desabre's team are the favourites to advance — and increase Africa's World Cup contingent to 10 teams — with the Leopards currently ranked 48th in the world, comfortably ahead of Jamaica (70) or New Caledonia (150).
They're also entering the playoffs on the back of a decent Africa Cup of Nations, where they took seven points from Group D, holding eventual 'winners' Senegal, before succumbing to Algeria in extra-time in the Round of 16.
They've improved significantly since Desabre took the reins, and are closer than ever to a first World Cup appearance since their infamous showing in West Germany in 1974.
There had been doubts about the validity of some of the players they've recruited to the cause under their French coach — with Aaron Wan-Bissaka's participation sparking an eligibility protest from Nigeria.
However, with that speculation now put to bed, the DRC, the true fallen giants of the African game, can focus on ending their 52-year wait to be present on the grandest stage of all.
Will Nigeria begin 'Mission '27' in style?
The Super Eagles' AFCON campaign may have ended with a limp semifinal exit at the hands of Morocco, but they surpassed expectations during the tournament, rediscovering their menace and identity under Eric Chelle.
His diamond formation helped get the best out of Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen without sacrificing the Eagles' defensive solidity, and while they didn't bring home a fourth crown, they did restore national pride in the country's men's football.
Since then, things have felt anticlimactic, with uncertainty about Chelle's future amidst rumoured discontent with the NFF and reported interest from Tunisia and Olympique de Marseille ensuring the post-AFCON glow dissipated quickly.
Then there was the failed attempt to disqualify the DRC from the World Cup, leaving the continental powerhouse forced to face up to the reality that they'll be absent from the high table for the second consecutive tournament.
For now Chelle remains, apparently committed to the project, and he'll recognise that, with this squad, the prospect of career-defining glory at next year's AFCON is a tantalisingly attainable target.
Upcoming international friendlies against Iran and Jordan aren't the most glitzy fixtures, but they afford Chelle and his team the opportunity for a reboot, as the Super Eagles' 15-month mission to win the AFCON 2027 title must begin in earnest.
Nigeria will be without Osimhen, who has undergone surgery on a fractured arm, although his absence gives Chelle a golden opportunity to assess the Galatasaray superstar's understudies.
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Egypt without Salah for Saudi showdown
Hossam Hassan's Egypt, who were defeated by Nigeria in the AFCON third-placed playoff, will face Saudi Arabia in an intriguing Jeddah friendly on March 27, although their second friendly — against Spain, scheduled to be played in Qatar — has reportedly been cancelled amidst the ongoing conflict across the Gulf.
Like the Super Eagles, they'll be without their talisman, with Mohamed Salah not included in Hassan's squad after picking up a muscle injury against Osimhen's Galatasaray in the Champions League.
On one hand, it's perhaps a blessing in disguise, with Salah's presence potentially a distraction after the legendary forward's announcement on Tuesday that he'd definitively be leaving Liverpool at the season's end. Expect Saudi Arabia to be the favourite destination for the next chapter of the 33-year-old's career.
Hassan has plenty of talent to turn to as he looks to replace the veteran's attacking guile, although he'll need the likes of Omar Marmoush, Mostafa Mohamed and Mahmoud Trezeguet to step things up after a sub-par AFCON showing which has raised questions back home about the coach is the right man to get the best out of this squad at the World Cup.
Morocco under new management
Do any team enter this international break under a greater spotlight than Africa's new champions Morocco?
There was considerable backlash after CAF decided to award the defeated AFCON finalists with the continental crown after removing it from Senegal following their decision to leave the pitch during the final.
The North Africans will not have made themselves many friends across Africa amidst intensifying suspicion of their close relationship with African football's organising body, and they must ensure they can focus back on their football after a controversial few months off the pitch.
Failure in the AFCON final… at least at the time… was one of the key reasons why Walid Regragui lost his job as head coach, despite being the mastermind behind their historic run to the 2022 World Cup semifinal.
He'd been at the helm for four years, transforming the country's footballing reputation and introducing many of the current squad to the fold, and a period of transition ought to be expected.
His replacement Mohamed Ouahbi is well respected domestically, although this job is of a scale he's never experienced in his career to date, and he must quickly decide if he wants to oversee a short-term revolution of Africa's new champions, or maintain and evolve Regragui's approach.
Morocco face two stern South American foe in Ecuador, on Friday, and Paraguay on Tuesday.
Expect calm focus from Senegal
While Morocco may find themselves under pressure with a new coach, and the DRC have a date with destiny, Senegal can be both intentional and structured as they prepare for an international break which should serve them well as they embark on their third consecutive World Cup campaign.
Being stripped of the AFCON title has been met with defiance, good humour and partial ridicule of CAF's decision making, with many of Senegal's players taking to social media to join the nation's general mockery of the sanction.
They'll still consider themselves African champions, and indeed, expect CAF's decision to galvanise and further establish a siege mentality within this talented squad.
They should receive a heroes' welcome in Paris on Saturday when they face Peru at the Stade de France — their first match since the AFCON final — with a considerable Senegalese population in Europe keen to make their mark ahead of a World Cup reunion with Les Bleus.
While the atmosphere in the French capital should be festive, with Habib Diarra predicting it will be the "celebration of a people, and of a continent," head coach Pape Thiaw will be aware that he must reset the Teranga Lions' focus, stabilise the squad's mentality, and help them move past the political and emotional fallout that have engulfed them over recent weeks.
They will then return home to face neighbours Gambia in Senegal on March 31.
