African teams have produced a blend of resilience, surprises and frustration after the second round of matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Several nations remain in contention for the knockout rounds while others face an uphill battle heading into the decisive final group games.
With a record 10 African nations competing at the expanded 48-team tournament, expectations were high following Morocco’s historic semifinal run in Qatar four years ago. Two rounds into the competition, Africa’s representatives have shown they can compete with the world’s best.
Africa’s Favorites
Morocco have once again emerged as one of Africa’s brightest hopes. The Atlas Lions followed their opening draw against Brazil with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Scotland, putting themselves in a strong position to qualify from Group C. The North Africans have demonstrated the defensive discipline and tactical maturity that made them global headlines in 2022.
Egypt have also strengthened their chances of reaching the Round of 32. After drawing with Belgium in their opening match, the Pharaohs secured an impressive 3-1 victory over New Zealand to move to top of the table in Group G. Their blend of experience and attacking efficiency has made them one of Africa’s most convincing performers so far.
Ghana continue to build momentum after edging Panama 1-0 in their opener before earning a valuable goalless draw against England. The Black Stars remain unbeaten and have shown the defensive organization needed to compete in one of the tournament’s toughest groups.
Ivory Coast have also impressed despite suffering a narrow 2-1 defeat to Germany in their second match. The Elephants pushed the European giants throughout the contest and were unfortunate to concede a late winner after taking the lead through Franck Kessié. A win against Curaçao will see them qualify for the next round without having to wait for Best 3rd placed team.
The Disappointments
The biggest disappointment among Africa’s leading contenders has been Senegal. The Lions of Teranga opened with a 3-1 defeat to France before losing a dramatic 3-2 encounter against Norway despite two goals from Ismaïla Sarr. Senegal now face a must-win final group match against Iraq and may still need help from results elsewhere to keep their tournament alive.
Tunisia’s campaign has also ended. Following a heavy opening defeat to Sweden, the North Africans suffered another setback with a 4-0 loss to Japan. They have earned 0 points so far.
The Hopefuls
Elsewhere, Algeria remain in contention after defeating Jordan 2-1 in Group J, while DR Congo earned a valuable draw against Portugal in Group K but fell by a lone goal to Colombia. Cape Verde have exceeded expectations with draws against both Spain and Uruguay, proving difficult to break down against two established football powers. South Africa, meanwhile, remain in the qualification race after drawing 1-1 with Czechia following their opening defeat to Mexico.
As the group stage enters its final round, Africa’s hopes of sending multiple teams into the knockout phase remain very much alive. Morocco, Egypt and Ghana appear best placed to advance automatically, while Ivory Coast, Algeria, Cape Verde, DR Congo and South Africa are still battling for automatic qualification or best third place team. Senegal face the greatest pressure, with little margin for error remaining, while Tunisia is already out of the game.
The final group matches will determine whether Africa can convert its record representation into a record knockout-stage presence. After two rounds, the continent has shown both its growing strength and the fine margins that continue to define success at football’s biggest tournament.
