Africa has recorded its strongest performance in FIFA World Cup history after nine of its ten representatives qualified for the knockout stage of the 2026 tournament, marking a major breakthrough for the continent under the expanded 48-team format.
The teams that advanced to the Round of 32 are Algeria, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and South Africa.
Tunisia was the only African side that failed to progress from the group stage.
The achievement means 90 per cent of Africa’s teams at the tournament have moved beyond the first round, the first time the continent has reached such a mark at the World Cup. It also gives Africa a strong presence in the first knockout phase, with nine of the 32 teams still competing for the trophy.
The milestone is particularly significant for smaller football nations such as Cape Verde and DR Congo, whose progress underlines the growing competitiveness of African football beyond the continent’s traditional powerhouses.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe congratulated the teams, describing their qualification as “hard-earned and well-deserved.” He said the result reflected the work of players, coaches and national federations across the continent.
Africa’s performance comes four years after Morocco became the first African country to reach a World Cup semi-final in Qatar in 2022. That run raised expectations across the continent and strengthened calls for African teams to be taken more seriously on the global stage.
The 2026 World Cup, being staged in the United States, Canada and Mexico, is the first to feature 48 teams. The expansion increased Africa’s representation, giving the continent ten places at the finals.
The Round of 32 will now test whether Africa’s record number of qualifiers can translate into deeper runs. Morocco, Senegal and Ghana carry previous knockout-stage experience, while Cape Verde and South Africa are among the sides chasing fresh World Cup history.
Whatever happens next, Africa has already delivered one of the defining stories of the 2026 World Cup.
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