Assahafa.com
The African qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have concluded, and nine nations have officially secured their spots in the expanded tournament, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, including four Arab countries.
In addition to the nine group winners who qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup, the four best second-placed teams from the CAF qualifiers will enter a playoff tournament hosted by Morocco.
The winner of that mini-tournament will earn a chance to compete in the intercontinental playoff, which could secure Africa a 10th spot at the World Cup.
This format gives strong runners-up like Nigeria or Cameroon a second chance to reach the World Cup. The intercontinental playoff will feature six teams from different confederations, with two final World Cup spots up for grabs.
Teams that qualified directly
Morocco topped Group E with 24 points, winning all eight matches. They scored 22 goals, conceded twice, and finished with a +20 goal difference. They were the first African team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, securing their spot with two games to spare. This marks their third straight World Cup appearance after reaching the semifinals in 2022. This will be Morocco’s sixth participation in the World Cup.
Algeria qualified first in Group G with 25 points from eight wins, one draw, and one loss. They scored 24 goals and conceded eight, ending with a +16 goal difference. This marks their first World Cup appearance since 2014, and their fifth overall. Mohamed Amoura finished as Algeria’s and the qualifier’s top goal scorer with 10 goals
Egypt topped Group A with 26 points, winning eight matches and drawing two, without a single loss. They scored 20 goals and conceded just two, finishing with a +18 goal difference, with Mohamed Salah making 12 goal contributions. Their qualification was sealed with a 3-0 win over Djibouti. And it will be their fourth participation in the World Cup.
Tunisia secured their spot in the World Cup with a late winner. In Group H, they needed a win in their last match against Equatorial Guinea. Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane scored in the 94th minute to seal a 1–0 victory, sending Tunisia through. They ended their campaign unbeaten and did not concede a single goal the entire competition. This is Tunisia’s sixth qualification for the World Cup
Ghana won Group I with 25 points, finishing ahead of Madagascar by six points. They recorded eight wins, one draw, and one loss, scoring 23 goals and conceding six. The Black Stars now head to their fifth World Cup.
Côte d’Ivoire won Group F with 26 points, staying unbeaten with eight wins and two draws. They scored 25 goals, conceded none, and finished with a +25 goal difference. This marks their first World Cup appearance since 2014 and their third in history.
South Africa topped Group H to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. They finished with 23 points, winning seven matches, drawing two, and losing one. They scored 18 goals, conceded seven. They now returned to the World Cup for the first time since 2010, when they hosted the tournament.
Senegal finished first in Group B with 24 points, from seven wins and three draws. They scored 22 goals and conceded just three, ending with a +19 goal difference. This secured their third consecutive World Cup appearance.
Cape Verde made history by qualifying for their first-ever World Cup in their history, winning Group D with 23 points. They had seven wins, two draws, and one loss, scoring 16 goals and conceding eight. Their decisive 3-0 win over Eswatini sealed the qualification.
What’s next
The final African playoff for a potential 10th World Cup spot will feature a four-team knockout tournament hosted in Morocco. These teams are the best second-placed finishers from the CAF qualifiers. The semi-finals will be played on 13 November and the final on 16 November.
The matchups are:
- Gabon vs Nigeria
- DR Congo vs Cameroon
The winners of these two semifinals will face off in a final, with the champion advancing to the intercontinental playoff. That playoff will include teams from other confederations (such as Asia, CONCACAF, and Oceania), with two World Cup spots remaining.
Source: Morocco word news
