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Ten African countries have qualified for the 2026 World Cup. The African qualifiers were different from those of previous years because the tournament expanded to 48 teams, giving the continent more spots than ever.
In previous years, over 50 African countries competed for five slots. This year, however, the slots jumped to 10.
This year’s season also took an unexpected turn as emerging teams like Cape Verde and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), which had not been in the World Cup stage for over 50 years, made a historic return.
Below are the African countries that have qualified for the 2026 World Cup:
Morocco
The Moroccan football team is a heavyweight in African football. The team competed in a 6-team group and finished first. Morocco’s last appearance at the 2022 FIFA World Cup was historic. They were the first African team to reach the World Cup semi-finals.
Tunisia
The Tunisian national football team finished first in their group and qualified directly, avoiding a playoff. Tunisia remains one of Africa’s most consistent World Cup qualifiers.
Egypt
Egypt was among the highest-scoring teams in the qualifiers. They recorded consistent wins across the group. Their last World Cup appearance was in 2018. They were eliminated in the group stage, losing all three matches.
Algeria
Algeria bounced back strongly after missing out on the last World Cup and qualified directly with no playoff. Their last major World Cup success was in 2014 when they reached the round of 16. They had failed to qualify for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup seasons.
Senegal
Senegal entered the qualifiers as one of Africa’s strongest teams, living up to the expectations many people had of them across the continent. They had a historic run in 2002, reaching the quarter-finals. They were eliminated in the group stage of the 2018 World Cup. In 2022, they reached the Round of 16.
Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire) had a strong but competitive qualifying campaign, coming out on top in a tight group. Their first-ever World Cup appearance was in 2006, but they were eliminated in the group stage. They were also eliminated in the 2010 World Cup group stage. Their last appearance on the World Cup stage was in 2014.
Ghana
Although Ghana faced strong competition during the continental playoffs, they finished strong. They made history in 2010 when they qualified for the World Cup quarter-finals and were very close to becoming the first African country to reach the semi-finals. Their last World Cup appearance was in 2022, when they were eliminated at the group stage.
Cape Verde
Cape Verde pulled off a historic achievement by qualifying for their first-ever World Cup. Their historic qualification has earned them a spot as an emerging team in African football.
South Africa
South Africa’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup is a major achievement, marking their return to the global stage after a long absence. They hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup but were eliminated in the group stage.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
DR Congo national football team, also called the Leopards, had a strong campaign during the qualifiers, but their path to the World Cup was slightly different from teams that qualified directly. DR Congo has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup as an independent nation. The team previously competed as Zaire and appeared in the 1974 World Cup. DR Congo is in the playoff or intercontinental route, not direct qualification.
They booked their first World Cup appearance in 52 years after defeating Jamaica 1-0 in an intercontinental play-off on Tuesday. With this victory, DR Congo becomes one of the 48 teams set to compete in the expanded 2026 tournament.
