African Teams Aim for Success at 2026 FIFA World Cup

African football teams are preparing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will feature an expanded format with 48 teams, allowing Africa to represent 10 countries, including Algeria, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, and Tunisia. No African nation has won the World Cup since its inception in 1930, although Cameroon (1990), Senegal (2002), and Ghana (2010) reached the quarter-finals.

Morocco set a new benchmark by becoming the first African nation to reach the semi-finals in Qatar 2022. Senegal forward Iliman Ndiaye and South Africa captain Ronwen Williams believe that African teams can achieve even greater success in the upcoming tournament.

Williams emphasized the improvements in African football and the importance of mindset, while Ndiaye stated that he would not attend the World Cup just to be a tourist. Former Ghana midfielder Michael Essien also expressed hope for Africa's chances, attributing past shortcomings to luck.