As the expanded 48-team 2026 FIFA World Cup reaches its end with Sunday’s final between Argentina and Spain, Africa leaves North America with mixed emotions.
There were moments of brilliance, memorable upsets, and evidence that the continent continues to close the gap on football’s traditional powers.
But there was also heartbreak, as lead bottling denied African teams what could have been their deepest collective run at a World Cup.
For the first time, 10 African nations qualified, the second most represented continent at the tournament.
Nine reached the knockout stage, yet only one progressed to the quarter-finals.
Tunisia’s early elimination
Tunisia became the first team to exit after a heavy 4-0 defeat to Japan and a 1–3 loss to Netherlands.
The Carthage Eagles, who lost 5-1 to Sweden in their opening Group F match, were condemned to an early exit after failing to pick up a single point from their three games.
Cape Verde become tournament surprise
If one team exceeded expectations, it was debutants Cape Verde.
The tiny island nation stunned the world by finishing the group stage unbeaten in a section containing former champions Spain and Uruguay.
Their fairy-tale run nearly produced one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history.
Facing defending champions Argentina in the Round of 32, Cape Verde twice came from behind before eventually losing 3-2 after extra time.
“To be honest, it feels like I’m living in a fairytale,” midfielder Deroy Duarte said after setting up the meeting with Lionel Messi’s side.
Although eliminated, Cape Verde earned widespread admiration for pushing the eventual finalists to the limit.
Round of 32 heartbreak
Africa’s biggest disappointment came in the Round of 32, where seven teams exited the competition.
Côte d’Ivoire lost 2-1 to Norway, South Africa were edged 1-0 by Canada, Ghana fell 1-0 to Colombia, while DR Congo, Senegal and Cape Verde all suffered agonising defeats after impressive displays.
The exits of DR Congo and Senegal were particularly painful.
DR Congo led England before Harry Kane scored twice late in the game to secure a 2-1 victory for the Three Lions.
Senegal looked set for the last 16 after taking a 2-0 lead against Belgium through Habib Diarra and Ismaila Sarr.
But Romelu Lukaku and Youri Tielemans inspired a remarkable comeback, with Belgium eventually winning 3-2 after extra time.
Egypt make history before late collapse
Egypt became one of only two African teams to reach the Round of 16 after defeating Australia 4-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw.
The victory marked the Pharaohs’ first-ever knockout-stage win at a FIFA World Cup.
Their campaign, however, ended dramatically against defending champions Argentina.
Egypt led 2-0 with just 11 minutes remaining before Cristian Romero pulled one back, Lionel Messi equalised and Enzo Fernandez headed the stoppage-time winner in a stunning 3-2 comeback victory.
The defeat was made more painful after Egypt had a goal ruled out following a VAR review, while Messi also missed a penalty during the match.
Morocco fly Africa’s flag
Morocco once again emerged as Africa’s standard-bearers.
The Atlas Lions eliminated the Netherlands on penalties after a 1-1 draw to reach the Round of 16, where they overcame Canada to book a place in the quarter-finals.
That achievement made Morocco the only African side to reach the last eight of the tournament.
Their run eventually ended in the quarter-finals with a 2-0 defeat to France, as Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele scored to send Les Bleus into the semi-finals.
Despite the exit, Morocco continued to rewrite African football history.
According to Opta, their victory over the Netherlands meant Morocco had now progressed from three World Cup knockout ties, equalling the combined total achieved by all other African nations before the 2022 tournament.
The Atlas Lions also recorded 70 per cent possession against the Netherlands — the highest by an African team in a World Cup knockout match since records began in 1966.
A familiar problem
Beyond the individual results, one recurring theme defined Africa’s campaign — the inability to protect winning positions.
Egypt surrendered a two-goal lead against Argentina.
Senegal lost despite leading Belgium 2-0.
DR Congo failed to hold onto their advantage against England.
Those late collapses reignited long-standing discussions about game management, tactical discipline and maintaining concentration against elite opposition.
Yet they also underlined how competitive African teams have become against the world’s best.
Signs of progress
Although only Morocco reached the quarter-finals, the tournament offered reasons for optimism.
Cape Verde’s fearless debut, Egypt’s historic knockout victory and Morocco’s continued consistency reinforced Africa’s growing influence on the global stage.
The expanded World Cup also provided more nations with valuable experience against elite opposition, experience that could prove crucial as the continent looks ahead to future tournaments.
The 2026 campaign ultimately ended without an African semi-finalist, but it also demonstrated that the gap between Africa and football’s traditional powers continues to narrow.
For now, Africa leaves the World Cup with a mixture of disappointment and pride — frustrated by what might have been, but encouraged by the promise of what could come next.
Saheed is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over two years of experience covering metro, technology, sports, politics, and human-interest stories. He focuses on producing clear, engaging reports across diverse beats. Saheed’s work reflects hands-on newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate and balanced journalism.
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