BY John Odhe
Africa has made historic strides at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with an unprecedented nine nations successfully advancing to the expanded Round of 32.
This impressive performance shatters the continent’s previous records, demonstrating a deeper competitive footprint as teams capitalized on the tournament’s 48-team expansion in North America.
Six of these nations guaranteed their spots in the knockout stage through their primary group performances: Morocco, South Africa, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Cape Verde, and Ghana.
For debutants Cape Verde, advancing out of the group stage represents a fairy-tale milestone.
Meanwhile, continental heavyweights like Morocco and South Africa continued to assert their dominance by securing early progression to the next phase.
The remaining three African countries, Senegal, Algeria, and DR Congo, earned their places in the Round of 32 by qualifying as the tournament’s best third-placed teams.
While Tunisia was eliminated, this collective showing highlights a massive leap forward for African football.
Fans can catch the upcoming knockout fixtures as these teams prepare to face off against football powerhouses as the tournament progresses.
