World Cup 2026: Africa sent 10 teams, 9 came back with something to show — and one rewrote its own history. When Italy’s coach demanded Africa be given fewer World Cup spots, the continent had a simple answer waiting: nine of ten teams through to the knockouts, a 90% qualification rate no other confederation could match.
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When Italy failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, their then-coach Gennaro Gattuso said Africa “deserves fewer seats at the World Cup” — pointing to the continent’s automatic berths rising from five to nine in the expanded 48-team tournament. The number later reached ten after the DRC won an intercontinental play-off, returning after 52 years away. His complaint did not age well.
Tunisia was the only African team to exit without reaching the knockouts, losing all three group games after sacking coach Sabri Lamouchi and replacing him with Frenchman Hervé Renard. The other nine all made it through — five as group runners-up, four as best third-placed sides — for a 90% knockout rate, ahead of South America (83.33%), Europe (81.25%) and Asia (22.22%).
“African teams relax too early. People talk about talent and passion, but when they go two goals up, their concentration drops”. — Thierry Henry, television analyst
The weakness that cost them
Seven African teams exited in the round of 32, and a familiar pattern ran through the exits: late goals. Messi turned a 0-2 deficit against Egypt into a 3-2 win. Kane scored twice to beat the DRC. Haaland won it for Norway against Ivory Coast. Senegal gave up a two-goal lead against Belgium with five minutes left and lost in extra time. “Many African teams that were leading found a way to lose”, said Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the studio. “At a World Cup, that is not bad luck — it is poor game management”.
Senegal’s collapse was the most painful for the continent. Many had expected them to lead Africa’s charge; instead they lost three of four matches and barely scraped through as the best eighth third-place finisher. After elimination, midfielder Baba Gaye said he would not return to the national team until coach Baba Diaw was sacked.
Morocco: history made, then a wall
Egypt reached the round of 16, and Morocco went furthest — reaching the quarterfinals for the second time in their history, the first African nation to do so. They lost 0-2 to France. It took 83 minutes for the Atlas Lions to register their first shot on target — a long-range effort from Azzedine Ounahi that goalkeeper Mike Maignan handled comfortably. Ouahbi offered no excuses: “France is a truly great team… they rarely have this much talent as they do right now”. Morocco will be back as a 2030 co-host alongside Portugal and Spain, with a 115,000-capacity stadium under construction near Casablanca for the final.
Cape Verde: four games, no wins, five million followers
Cape Verde won nothing. They will not be forgotten. A nation of just over half a million people held European champions Spain to a goalless draw in their opening match. Their 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha made a string of spectacular saves to frustrate one of the tournament’s favourites — his Instagram following rose from 50,000 to five million. They drew twice, lost to Argentina 2-3 in the round of 32, and Sidney Lopez Cabral’s curled second goal was one of the tournament’s finest. Africa’s story this summer had many chapters. This was one of the most unlikely.
- Source: AFP