Three African nations have secured their positions in the Round of 32 at the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup. Among the ten teams representing the continent, Morocco, South Africa, and Côte d’Ivoire have confirmed their spots in the knockout stage of the expanded tournament.
Morocco advanced as runners-up in Group C following a 4-2 victory over Haiti. This result sets up a Round of 32 match against Group F winners the Netherlands, scheduled for June 29. Morocco finished with seven points in their group, behind Brazil on goal difference.
South Africa achieved a historic milestone by reaching the World Cup knockout stage for the first time. After an initial defeat to co-hosts Mexico, Bafana Bafana drew with Czechia and then defeated Korea Republic to secure second place in Group A. Their next challenge will be against Canada on June 28.
Remaining African Teams in Contention
Several other African teams are still in contention for a place in the Round of 32 as their final group matches approach. Egypt currently leads Group G with four points from two matches. Ghana is positioned second in Group L, also with four points, trailing England on goal difference.
Cabo Verde holds third place in Group H with two points, level with Uruguay but behind on goal difference. Algeria is also third in Group J, having accumulated three points, the same as Austria. These teams will be looking to secure positive results in their upcoming fixtures to advance.
Senegal and Congo DR have already been eliminated from automatic qualification.
Key Upcoming Matches for Qualification
Côte d’Ivoire secured their progression after finishing second in Group E, following victories against Ecuador and Curaçao. The Elephants are slated to play the runners-up from Group I in the Round of 32 on June 30.
Cape Verde, considered one of Africa’s surprise teams, earned draws against Spain and Uruguay. A victory against Saudi Arabia in their final Group H match would largely guarantee their place in the knockout stage, with a draw potentially also being sufficient depending on other results.
Egypt revived their campaign with a 3-1 win over New Zealand after two draws. They now face Iran, where a positive result could see them finish in the top two of their group or secure a strong position among the best third-placed teams. Ghana, unbeaten after a win against Panama and a draw with England, will face Croatia in a decisive match on Saturday, June 27.
DR Congo, after drawing with Portugal and a narrow defeat to Colombia, needs a victory over Uzbekistan to have a realistic chance of progressing. Algeria, having recovered from a defeat to Argentina with a 2-1 win over Jordan, will face Austria in a crucial Group J fixture on Sunday, June 28.
Tournament Structure and Eliminations
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the first edition to feature 48 teams and includes a Round of 32. The top two teams from each of the 12 groups, along with the eight best third-placed teams, will advance to the knockout stage.
Alongside the African qualifiers, other nations that have advanced to the Round of 32 include hosts Mexico, the United States, Germany, Argentina, France, Norway, Colombia, Switzerland, Canada, Brazil, the Netherlands, Japan, Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ecuador, and Sweden.
Teams that have already been eliminated from the tournament include Tunisia from Africa, as well as Haiti, Türkiye, Jordan, Panama, Qatar, Czechia, and Curaçao.
Source: punchng.com
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