CAF representatives concluded their opening round of matches at the FIFA World Cup 2026 with another memorable night, as DR Congo produced one of the tournament’s biggest surprises by holding Portugal to a 1-1 draw before Ghana secured a dramatic late victory over Panama.
The results ensured that CAF finished the first round with several impressive performances against some of world football’s established powers, further underlining the continent’s growing competitiveness on the global stage.
The spotlight first fell on DR Congo, who marked their long-awaited return to the World Cup with a historic result against Portugal in Houston.
Making their first appearance at football’s biggest tournament in 52 years, the Congolese arrived carrying the weight of history. Their only previous World Cup participation came in 1974 as Zaire, a campaign remembered for difficult records, including a 9-0 defeat to Yugoslavia and a goal difference of -14.
Against a Portuguese side ranked fifth in the world and packed with international experience and European Superstars, few expected the Leopards to make an impact.
Portugal appeared to justify their favourites tag when João Neves headed home after just five minutes to give the Europeans an early lead.
Portugal dominated possession for large portions of the first half recording 455 passes against 99 for Leopards and created several chances to extend their advantage. Goalkeeper Dimitry Bertaud Mpasi was called into action on multiple occasions, while Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes both threatened as the Congolese defence absorbed sustained pressure.
However, DR Congo refused to be intimidated. Yoane Wissa nearly equalized earlier in the half before producing a historic moment deep into first-half stoppage time. Rising highest from a corner, the forward powered home a header to score his nation’s first-ever World Cup goal.
The Congolese nearly completed a remarkable turnaround after the break, with Steve Kapuadi missing a promising headed opportunity. Portugal thought they had regained the lead through João Cancelo, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Despite relentless pressure from Portugal in the closing stages, DR Congo remained disciplined and resilient to secure a famous draw that will be remembered as one of the country’s greatest football achievements. Wissa’s goal earned DR Congo their first point in tournament history.
A few hours later, Ghana opened their fifth World Cup campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Panama in Toronto.
The Black Stars, still inspired by memories of their historic run to the 2010 quarter-finals, found themselves involved in a tense and tactical encounter with few clear-cut chances. Ghana had an effort ruled out for offside in the first half and struggled to break down a well-organised Panamanian defence.
As the match appeared destined for a goalless draw, Caleb Yirenkyi delivered the decisive moment in the fourth minute of stoppage time. The midfielder finished off a swift counterattack to hand Ghana all three points and complete a memorable night for African football.
With the first round now complete, CAF’s 10 representatives have already made their presence felt at the FIFA World Cup 2026. Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana secured victories, while Morocco, Cape Verde, Egypt and DR Congo earned impressive draws against highly-rated opposition. Tunisia, South Africa, Senegal and Algeria suffered defeats, although several of those performances were far more competitive than the final scorelines suggested.
Overall, the opening round has highlighted the growing competitiveness of African football, with CAF’s representatives showing they are capable of challenging some of the world’s strongest nations as the tournament progresses.
