World Cup 2026: the African results in figures
African football has had its best ever World Cup campaign. With ten representatives, nine qualified for the round of 16, the continent confirmed its rise to power. A look back at the figures which summarize a historic 2026 World Cup for the African selections.
10 qualified teams, a historic record
Never has the Confederation of African Football (CAF) been so well represented at the World Cup. Thanks to the tournament being expanded to 48 teams, ten African selections have secured their ticket to the final phase.
Nine of them obtained direct qualification: Morocco, Egypt, Senegal, South Africa, Ivory Coast, Algeria, Tunisia, Ghana and Cape Verde. The Democratic Republic of Congo completed the contingent by validating its ticket after the intercontinental play-offs.
Four nations discover the round of 16
This edition also marked a turning point for several selections. South Africa, Ivory Coast and DR Congo reached the first round of a World Cup for the first time in their history. Cape Verde, for its part, was simply playing its first World Cup, becoming the smallest nation in size to participate in the competition.
90% qualified: an unprecedented performance
This is undoubtedly the most striking figure of this edition. Nine out of ten African teams reached the round of 16, a qualification rate of 90%, higher than that of all other confederations. Only Tunisia left the competition in the group stage after three defeats against Sweden, Japan and the Netherlands.
Morocco confirms its reference status
Already a historic semi-finalist in Qatar in 2022, Morocco has confirmed that it has permanently established itself among the best nations in the world. The Atlas Lions become the first African team to reach two World Cup quarter-finals, after eliminating Canada in the round of 16 before losing to France.
A prolific Moroccan attack
The Moroccan course also stood out for its offensive efficiency. The Atlas Lions scored 10 goals in six games, while conceding six, displaying one of the best attacks on the continent during the tournament.
Ismaïla Sarr, top African scorer
Author of four goals, Senegalese winger Ismaïla Sarr finishes top African scorer at the 2026 World Cup. He is ahead of Moroccan Ismaël Saibari and Congolese Yoane Wissa, credited with three goals each. Behind them are several players with two goals, including Algerian captain Riyad Mahrez.
Brahim Diaz sets new record
Moroccan playmaker Brahim Diaz stood out for his vision of the game. With four assists, he became the first African player to reach this total during the same edition of the World Cup, confirming his major role in the progress of the Atlas Lions.
CTN
