African football sets record at World Cup (PHOTOS/VIDEO)

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Continent saw 9 of 10 teams progress to the knock out stages

Nine African teams have reached the knockout stages of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, setting a new record for the continent.

Algeria, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, and South Africa all advanced from the group stage.

“It is the first time that 90% of the African National Teams qualified from the Group Stage of the FIFA World Cup,” the press service of Confederation of African Football (CAF) said on Sunday. 

CAF President Patrice Motsepe congratulated all nine teams on reaching the knockout stage, calling their qualification “hard-earned and well-deserved.”  

“The players and technical teams have made each of their countries proud and have also made the 1.6 billion people on the African Continent and in the Diaspora, proud,” Motsepe said. 

Morocco, 2022 World Cup semifinalist, will play the Netherlands on June 30. So far in this competition, they drew with Brazil before beating Scotland and Haiti. The same day, Côte d’Ivoire faces Norway. The country advanced after victories over Ecuador and Curaçao, despite losing to Germany.

On July 1, DR Congo takes on England. In group matches they drew with Portugal, lost narrowly to Colombia, and then beat Uzbekistan 3-1.

Senegal meets Belgium,also on July 1, after keeping its World Cup hopes alive with a 5-0 victory over Iraq in its final group-stage match.

Algeria will face Switzerland on July 3 after recovering from an opening defeat against Argentina, before they Jordan 2-1 and drew 3-3 with Austria.


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Egypt, unbeaten so far, will play Australia. The remaining African teams are in action on July 4, World Cup debutants Cabo Verde face Argentina after an unbeaten group-stage campaign, and Ghana takes on Colombia.

Supporters of Ghana during the World Cup match between Croatia v Ghana on June 27, 2026.


©  Marcel Bonte/Soccrates/Getty Images

South Africa became the first African team to play in the knockout phase, but lost 1-0 to Canada on Sunday.

Only Tunisia failed to escape the group stage.


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The 2026 FIFA World Cup is being held from June 11 to July 19 across 16 cities in the US, Canada, and Mexico. It is the first time 48 national teams have features at a FIFA World Cup.

Players of Cote d’Ivoire celebrate the team’s 2-0 victory in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group E match between Curacao and Cote D’Ivoire on June 25, 2026.


©  Steph Chambers – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images

June 29, 2026 at 09:17PM
RT

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