Five African teams eye World Cup knockout spots

Africa's hopes of making a historic impact at the 2026 FIFA World Cup remain alive, with three nations already through to the Round of 32 and five others preparing for decisive group-stage matches this weekend.

The expanded 48-team tournament, hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico, features ten African teams competing on football's biggest stage.

So far, Côte d'Ivoire, South Africa and Morocco have all advanced to the knockout stage, highlighting the continent's growing competitiveness on the global stage.

Morocco, building on their historic semi-final run at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, secured qualification after an impressive Group C campaign. The Atlas Lions sealed their place in the Round of 32 with a 4-2 victory over Haiti.

South Africa also made history by advancing from Group A after defeating South Korea 1-0.

Côte d'Ivoire booked their place in the Round of 32 after a strong Group E campaign, finishing with a 2-0 win over Curaçao.

Morocco will face the Netherlands in the Round of 32, while South Africa will take on hosts Canada.

Weekend showdown: Five teams on the brink

Attention now turns to five African nations whose World Cup hopes hang in the balance. Ghana, DR Congo, Cabo Verde, Algeria and Egypt will all be in action this weekend as they bid to secure places in the knockout stage.

Ghana enters its final Group L match with qualification still within reach. The Black Stars will face Croatia on Sunday, while DR Congo takes on Uzbekistan in a crucial Group K clash after a resilient campaign that has kept their knockout hopes alive.

Algeria, competing in Group J, will also need a strong performance in its decisive final group match against Austria.

In Group G, Egypt remains firmly in contention after an impressive victory over New Zealand, while Cabo Verde will look to continue its remarkable World Cup campaign in Group H after holding both Spain and Uruguay to draws. The Blue Sharks will face Saudi Arabia in their final group match on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Senegal and Tunisia have already been eliminated despite spirited performances. Senegal, who reached the Round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup, will still take on Iraq in their final group match on Saturday as the Teranga Lions look to end their campaign on a positive note.

Tunisia, meanwhile, endured a disappointing tournament, losing all three of their Group F matches.

The performances of African teams at the 2026 World Cup have once again sparked discussions about the continent's growing influence in global football.

With three nations already through to the Round of 32 and five others still in contention, Africa could yet deliver one of its strongest collective performances in World Cup history.