Africa’s road to the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup has officially been sealed , 9 nations will fly the continent’s flag in North America. Cape Verde,Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt , Senegal, Algeria, Ghana, South Africa & Cote d’Ivoire have all booked their tickets after a gripping qualification campaign that spanned drama, dominance, and history-making moments.
Among them, the story of Cape Verde stands tallest , a true fairytale that captured the imagination of millions across the continent. The Blue Sharks sealed qualification to their maiden World Cup in spectacular fashion, defeating Eswatini 3–0 in front of a packed National Stadium in Praia on Monday, 13 October. With only 8,000 lucky fans gaining entry, the island nation celebrated a night that will forever be remembered as the greatest moment in their footballing history. The result saw them top Group D, confirming a historic debut on football’s biggest stage.
South Africa completed their own long-awaited return to the global showpiece. Bafana Bafana beat Rwanda 3–0 in Nelspruit on Tuesday, 14 October, to finish top of Group C and secure their first World Cup appearance since hosting the tournament in 2010. Hugo Broos’ men delivered when it mattered most, crowning a consistent campaign with a decisive home victory that reignited belief across the Rainbow Nation.
Tunisia were near-perfect, finishing top of Group H with a remarkable record of nine wins from ten matches, scoring 22 goals and conceding none , an extraordinary defensive record that underlines their status as Africa’s most tactically disciplined outfit.
Morocco, the first African side to seal qualification back in early September, continued their golden era under Walid Regragui. The Atlas Lions breezed through Group E with six wins from six, their 5–0 thrashing of Niger on 5 September confirming a third consecutive World Cup appearance.
Egypt made a grand return to the World Cup after missing Qatar 2022. A 3–0 win away to Djibouti on 8 October sealed their place, with captain Mohamed Salah leading by example. The Liverpool forward scored 9 goals during the qualifiers, guiding the Pharaohs to another chapter in their proud football history to top group A.
Senegal, the former African champions, continued their dominance with a 4–0 win over Mauritania in Dakar on the final day. Captain Sadio Mané struck twice, supported by goals from Iliman Ndiaye and Idrissa Gana Gueye, as the Teranga Lions topped Group B to book back-to-back appearances on the world stage.
Ghana confirmed their Spot with a narrow 1–0 victory over Comoros in Accra on Sunday. Mohammed Kudus’ decisive strike ensured the Black Stars will make their fifth World Cup appearance, returning to the big stage after falling short of expectations in last edition ,Qatar 2022.
Algeria marked their comeback in style, defeating Somalia 3–0 on 9th October to secure top spot in Group G with a game to spare. The Desert Foxes return to the World Cup for the first time since 2014, having rebuilt strongly after missing the last edition.
Meanwhile, Côte d’Ivoire , fresh from their 2024 AFCON triumph, delivered another statement of strength. With qualification on the line, the Elephants thrashed Kenya 3–0 in Abidjan to seal Group F. Captain Franck Kessié opened the scoring, Yan Diomande added the second, and Amad Diallo curled home a superb free kick to send the home crowd into raptures.
With Africa’s nine automatic slots now taken, there remains a chance for a tenth representative ; the best runners-up playoff winner to claim a place via the intercontinental playoffs. Regardless of that outcome, the continent can take pride in a qualification campaign that blended dominance, redemption, and history, with Cape Verde’s fairytale serving as the heartwarming symbol of Africa’s growing depth and footballing dreams.
