By Osoro Nyawangah, MWANZA Tanzania
Africa will make history at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with a record ten nations securing direct qualification for the expanded global tournament: a major milestone for the continent’s football growth.
The unprecedented representation comes as the tournament expands its format, allowing more teams from around the world to compete on football’s biggest stage.
Among those qualified are continental heavyweights Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt and Algeria, alongside strong contenders such as Senegal, Ivory Coast and Ghana.
Emerging teams have also secured their places, including Cape Verde, South Africa and Democratic Republic of the Congo — the latter completing the historic lineup after a decisive win to claim Africa’s tenth slot.
The qualification of DR Congo is particularly significant, marking a return to the World Cup stage after more than 50 years and highlighting the growing competitiveness of African football.
Cape Verde have qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time! With a population of just 593,149, the island nation in the Atlantic becomes the second-smallest country to ever reach the tournament.
The expanded tournament offers African teams a greater opportunity to showcase their talent globally, building on recent successes such as Morocco’s historic run to the semi-finals in 2022.
With ten representatives heading to the 2026 edition, expectations are high that African nations could make an even deeper impact — signaling a new era for the continent in world football.
Here is the FIFA World Cup groups, will African teams make it to semi-finals?
