A record 10 African countries are set to participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and that number appears to be an advantage. No team on the continent has lifted the prestigious trophy in its history. The last time in Qatar, Morocco made history by reaching the semi-final before losing out to France. As the 2026 edition kicks off in Mexico on 11th July, expectations are even higher. The narrative now is whether the best players, drawn from some of football’s biggest clubs, can finally convert.
Africa’s 10-Team Qualification Changes 2026 World Cup Picture
The expanded 2026 World Cup features 48 teams across 12 groups of four. As usual, the top two in each group advance to the knockout phase, starting with the round of 32. Africa secured 9 spots automatically from qualification, plus one entry through the intercontinental playoffs. These are the 10 qualified teams:
Morocco
Senegal
Ivory Coast
Egypt
Ghana
Cape Verde
South Africa
Tunisia
Algeria
DR Congo
Cameroon and Nigeria are two notable absentees. The Indomitable Lions lost in shock fashion to DR Congo in the playoffs, while Nigeria were beaten on penalties by the same DR Congo. Nonetheless, I'm confident the 10 teams representing Africa are strong enough to make an impact, especially Senegal, Morocco, Algeria, and Egypt.
Africa Has Bigger 2026 Expectations After Morocco’s 2022 Breakthrough
Africa’s 2022 campaign produced its best-ever result when Morocco reached the semi-finals in Qatar. The Atlas Lions had defeated Spain and Portugal along the way. Morocco arrives in 2026 as one of the continent’s top teams, after a controversial AFCON final loss to Senegal in January.
As current champions of Africa, Senegal is expected to perform best at the 2026 World Cup. The team’s first game is against last time's finalists, France, which I consider an important early test. Egypt open their campaign against Belgium in a tournament that could define Mo Salah’s international legacy.
The 2026 World Cup is not just about the big names. DR Congo are making their first appearance in the tournament since 1974, over 50 years ago. Meanwhile, for Cape Verde, it’s the country’s first-ever outing in the competition. So, there’s plenty of history to make.
African Teams and Stars To Light Up The World Cup
After studying the lineups, these are the top players and teams I predict to define Africa’s performance in the World Cup:
Mo Salah (Egypt): This could be his last World Cup, and he’ll be determined to help his team achieve glory.
Achraf Hakimi (Morocco): He’s coming into the tournament with experience, after back-to-back successful seasons with PSG in France.
Antoine Semenyo (Ghana): He represents a new generation of stars for the Black Stars. With Kudus out due to injury, Semenyo will be Ghana’s main threat.
Sadio Mané (Senegal): After leading his team to win the AFCON, Mané will be looking to go further than the last 16 in 2022.
South Africa: Bafana Bafana will play in the opening match of the 2026 World Cup against co-hosts Mexico. It’s a reverse of the 2010 opener, and will surely come with a lot of pressure.
Why This World Cup Matters For African Football Fans
I must say that 2026 has the deepest African World Cup squad in history. As a result, football fans across the continent have more matches and players to track than before. Having checked the schedule myself, there’s barely a day without an African side on the pitch. iGaming WriteNow (iGW) serves Africa, and we’ll be delivering updates to our audience as things progress.
Knowing which African sides have a chance of advancing and which are facing elimination requires more than surface-level analysis. That’s where iGW x OddSense comes into the picture. Our campaign is set to provide World Cup match intelligence that clearly reads the situation. You can follow our Shepherd Insights for the analysis before and after the game.
Opening Fixtures Will Set The Tone For Africa
In the 2026 World Cup, Africa is fielding 10 teams and a generation of players at or near their peak. The expanded format removes some of the margin for error that has historically ended African campaigns early. However, the group draws are tight, and there’s pressure on players like Salah, Hakimi, Mané, and Semenyo to deliver. My final takeaway is to watch the opening fixtures closely because the first results will speak volumes.
