Africa makes history with record participation
The 2026 FIFA World Cup saw Africa send its largest ever contingent to the finals, with 10 nations competing for glory. A record nine made it into the knockout stage, a feat that Confederation of African Football (Caf) president Patrice Motsepe hailed as having made the continent's 1.6 billion people proud.
“We have made the continent proud with our performances,” Motsepe said.
Yet only Morocco reached the quarter-finals, while a recurring theme of late goals haunted five African sides – none more dramatically than Senegal and Egypt, who both squandered two-goal leads to crash out.
The tournament also delivered historic milestones: Egypt and DR Congo registered their first ever World Cup wins, while Cape Verde, Ivory Coast and South Africa advanced from the group stage for the first time.
Underdogs steal hearts
Cape Verde were the undoubted story of the tournament. The debutants reached the last 32 after draws against Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia. They then came agonisingly close to a seismic upset against defending champions Argentina, twice fighting back from a goal down before losing 3-2 after extra time.
Goalkeeper Vozinha became a viral sensation, his Instagram following rocketing from 50,000 to over 29 million. His sudden fame even inspired the naming of a newly discovered sea slug.
“We're a small nation but with big hearts and we showed what is possible – if you believe, you can achieve,” said defender Roberto 'Pico' Lopes.
Atlas Lions assert dominance
Morocco underlined their status as Africa's top-ranked side by becoming the first African team to appear in successive World Cup quarter-finals. However, a repeat of their 2022 semi-final heroics was not to be, as France again ended their run.
Under coach Mohamed Ouahbi, the Atlas Lions adopted a more expansive style, with 18-year-old midfielder Ayoub Bouaddi catching the eye. “We have a young team who want to grow, who will continue to do so,” Ouahbi said.
The scourge of late goals
An ominous pattern emerged for African teams. Five sides conceded decisive goals in the final minutes of matches. Former Ivory Coast defender Emmanuel Eboue had warned beforehand about a lack of concentration proving costly.
“African sides are susceptible to conceding late goals because of a lack of concentration,” Eboue told the BBC.
DR Congo and Ivory Coast both let in 86th-minute winners, while Canada struck in stoppage time to oust South Africa. Most shocking was Senegal's collapse against Belgium: leading 2-0 after 85 minutes, they lost 3-2 to the latest ever winner in World Cup history. Egypt suffered a similar fate, crashing out after letting a two-goal lead slip.
Africa's 2026 World Cup in numbers:
Teams sent: 10 (record)
Reached knockout stage: 9
Quarter-finalists: 1 (Morocco)
Teams conceding late goals: 5
First World Cup wins: Egypt, DR Congo
First time past group stage: Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, South Africa
With the next World Cup returning to Africa in 2030, when Morocco co-hosts alongside Spain and Portugal, the continent will hope to build on the promise and painful lessons of a tournament that delivered both joy and heartbreak.
Source: BBC Sport