For the first time in World Cup history, nine African nations have progressed to the knockout stage, with Ghana, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, DR Congo, Cape Verde, South Africa, Ivory Coast and Senegal all booking places in the Round of 32. Tunisia were the only African representatives to miss out.
The achievement comes in the first edition of FIFA’s expanded 48-team World Cup and represents a historic milestone for African football, eclipsing the previous best of two African teams reaching the knockout phase in the same tournament.
‘Africa finally has a fair opportunity’
Speaking exclusively with Footy-Africa on the significance of Africa’s record-breaking performance, Godwin Okpara said the expansion has finally given African nations the platform they have long deserved.
“It is a very good thing to see African countries making it to the Round of 32. This success is largely because the tournament expanded to 48 teams, allowing more countries to participate. It is a highly positive development for African football nations,” he told Footy-Africa.
The former defender argued that previous World Cup qualification systems placed African countries at a significant disadvantage compared with Europe and South America.
“Historically, the World Cup has not been fair from the very beginning. European and South American nations have always been granted a high number of slots, while Africa had only one, two or at most three places before the allocation gradually increased. With such limited representation, how could our teams ever get a fair chance or the opportunity to go far?”
Unbeaten so far. The Atlas Lions are ready for the #FIFAWorldCup knockouts. 🇲🇦 pic.twitter.com/lKTAKHM4N0
— CAF (@CAF_Online) June 29, 2026
Okpara believes FIFA’s decision to expand the tournament has helped address that imbalance, even if disparities still exist.
“Now the organisers have realised this disparity and are trying to balance things out. Europe still has more slots than everyone else, but this is a step in the right direction.”
“Having more African countries in the tournament gives the continent a genuine opportunity to progress. African football has come a long way. We are no longer simply trying to catch up with Europe—we are competing on the same level. Look at Morocco and Senegal. We consistently match the world’s best teams, and this format gives Africa a massive opportunity to go deep into the competition.”
Rohr: Stability off the pitch is making the difference
Former Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr also credited Africa’s impressive showing to improvements away from the pitch.
The veteran German coach said many of the administrative problems that previously disrupted African teams have largely disappeared, allowing players to focus entirely on football.
“There are no longer issues with unpaid bonuses or the other off-pitch problems that frequently occurred in the past. We don’t hear anything about those issues anymore,” the former Nigerian coach exclusively told Footy-Africa.
Rohr believes that greater organisational stability could help African nations achieve even greater success.
“Because of this, these teams have a very good chance of reaching the quarter-finals, the semi-finals or, why not, even the final.”
However, the 71-year-old cautioned that the knockout rounds often hinge on fine margins.
“Of course, it always depends on what happens during the knockout stages, where direct elimination matches are highly decisive, making it crucial for players to remain fit.”
9/32. Seems fair. 😉
Here we are. The #FIFAWorldCup knockouts. 🌍 pic.twitter.com/Sd3z3oO2qd
— CAF (@CAF_Online) June 28, 2026
Okpara’s Round of 32 predictions
Morocco vs Netherlands
The former Super Eagles defender expects one of the standout ties of the Round of 32.
“Morocco against the Netherlands is going to be an absolute cracker. The Netherlands are among the favourites to win the World Cup, but Morocco are currently Africa’s best team. It will be incredibly competitive, and I hope Morocco can come through.”
Senegal vs Belgium
Okpara is backing Senegal’s experience and physical strength to edge another heavyweight encounter.
“Senegal against Belgium is another massive game. Senegal are physically dominant and have experienced players such as Sadio Mané. It will be very tough, but I expect Senegal to pull through.”
DR Congo vs England
England will have to be wary, according to Okpara, who believes African teams now command far greater respect on the world stage.
“England will approach this game very carefully. Their match against Ghana showed how difficult African teams can be. They now understand the quality Africa possesses, so I expect a highly competitive and explosive contest.”
Argentina vs Cape Verde
Okpara believes Cape Verde could emerge as one of the tournament’s surprise packages.
“This Cape Verde team fear nobody. You could see it during qualification—they are prepared to give everything for their country. Every player wants to make a name for himself, and they never stop fighting. I think they will make life extremely difficult for Argentina and could even produce a major upset.”
Egypt vs Australia
Okpara sees Egypt as favourites to progress.
“Egypt should realistically qualify. This is a golden opportunity for them to reach the next round. I fully expect Egypt to advance.”
Coming up! The #FIFAWorldCup knockouts go African. 🌍 pic.twitter.com/H2iiYYwyWA
— CAF (@CAF_Online) June 28, 2026
Africa chasing another historic milestone
With nine nations still standing, Africa has already rewritten its World Cup record. The next challenge is to go even further.
No African country has ever reached a World Cup final, with Morocco’s historic semi-final run in Qatar four years ago remaining the continent’s best performance. However, both Okpara and Rohr believe the expanded tournament has created the ideal platform for African football to make another giant leap.
Should several of the continent’s representatives navigate the Round of 32, the 2026 FIFA World Cup could yet become the tournament where Africa delivers its deepest and most successful campaign in history.
