African teams are not at the 2026 Fifa World Cup merely to make up the numbers but to compete. That is the position held by most football enthusiasts, particularly across Africa, after nine out of the continent’s 10 representatives at the ongoing tournament qualified for the round of 32.
The 23rd edition of the prestigious global showpiece is taking place across the United States, Canada and Mexico. From Africa, only Tunisia failed to progress from the group stage. Morocco, Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, South Africa, Egypt, Cape Verde, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Algeria all reached the round of 32.
Yet, after the first five days of knockout action, the promise of a historic breakthrough by African teams in this global showcase has given way to heartbreak. Senegal, South Africa, Côte d'Ivoire and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have all been eliminated from the competition, with the manner of their exit sending tongues wagging after they were undone by late goals.
Netherlands' Bart Verbruggen in action as he makes a save from Morocco's Soufiane Rahimi during their Fifa World Cup Round of 32 match on June 29, 2026 at Estadio Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico.
Photo credit: Reuters
Morocco are the only African team, which has secured a place in the round of 16 after defeating Netherlands 3-2 in post-match penalties. The thrilling battle in Mexico’s Estadio Monterrey had ended 1-1 in regular time. Egypt, Cape Verde, Ghana and Algeria have yet to play their round 32 matches, and many are hoping they can spare the continent further disappointment by winning their respective matches.
On Friday, Algeria are scheduled to play Switzerland, and Egypt will play Australia. On Saturday, history-making Cape Verde will come up against defending champions Argentina at 1am while Ghana will lock horns with Colombia from 4.30am.
Of the four African teams, which crashed out in the round of 32, Senegal’s elimination at the hands of Belgium was arguably the most heart breaking for football fans across the continent owing to the manner in which it happened.
With less than five minutes to the end of regular time, the ‘Lions of Teranga’ were on the verge of a 2-0 victory when ‘The Red Devils’ equalised with two goals in three minute and then won 3-2, thanks to a Youri Tieleman’s penalty goal late in extra time. Senegal led through strikes from Habib Diarra and Ismaila Sarr in the 21st and 51st minutes respectively. Substitute Romelu Lukaku reduced the deficit for Belgium in the 86th minute before Tielemans levelled the scores three minutes later. Belgium’s captain Lukaku sealed victory for his team with a controversial penalty awarded after a lengthy VAR review.
Reacting to his side’s late defeat by Belgium, Senegal’s coach Pape Thiaw described football as a “cruel game.”
Thiaw, who has also come under sharp criticism over his substitutions in the match, added, “…football match is not an 85th minute one. Belgium came back, and we were not able to deal with that.”
Senegal's Lamine Camara tackles Belgium's Youri Tielemans in the penalty area before a VAR review during their Fifa World Cup Round of 32 match on July 1, 2026 at Seattle Stadium in Washington, US.
Photo credit: Reuters
Senegal’s defender Krepin Diatta, however, was blunt, saying the ‘Lions of Teranga’ lost focus when Belgium showed a late spark.
“Given what we offered, we shouldn’t have lost this match,” Diata said on Thursday.
Earlier on Sunday, Canada defeated South Africa 1-0, thanks to a stoppage-time strike by Stephen Eustaquio from a distance. On Tuesday, red-hot striker Erling Haaland took advantage of a brief lapse in the Cote d’Ivoire defence to seal the important 2-1 victory for Norway with an 86th minute goal. Norway had taken the lead through Antonio Nusa’s 39th minute goal but substitute Amad Diallo the Elephants level in the 74th minute.
On Wednesday, DRC also fell victim to late goals, with Harry Kane scoring twice - in the 75th and 86th minutes - to inspire England to a 2-1 comeback. DRC led through Brian Cipenga’s early goal.
Former Harambee Stars coach Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee has expressed shock in the manner the African teams competing in the tournament have collapsed late in the matches, attributing it to a lapse in concentration and poor tactics.
“I am also shocked because 90 per cent of the players in the African teams play in Europe where they are exposed to the same system of football with their counterparts from teams in other continents. I think it is a culmination of lack of mental strength and lack of tactics,” Mulee told Nation Sport on Thursday.
The experienced coach cited Cote d’Ivoire’s heart-breaking 2-1 loss to Norway as one of the matches in which an African team got its tactics wrong.
“I am very disappointed in Cote d’Ivoire. After equalising, they went for the second goal. They should have first protected the draw by playing defensively but they instead opened up their defence and you saw the kind of goal (Erling) Halaand scored,” Mulee added, disputing claims that exhaustion was also to blame for last-minute defeat of the African teams.
“All teams are practicing and playing under the same conditions. They (African teams) have been in America long enough to acclimatise to the weather,” he noted.
Retired Dutch football manager Jan Koops agreed with Mulee, saying, “The African teams played too optimistic with less concentration in the last minutes of the game. Most of the time, they thought they had won the game already.”
Renowned British-Nigerian sports journalist Osasu Obayiuwana blamed the elimination of Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal on the teams’ coaches.
“He (Thiaw) also got #Senegal’s tactics against Belgium wrong particularly after having the game wrapped up. You lead 2-0 and concede goals in the 86th and 89th minutes and lost by a penalty in extra time?,” he posted on X alongside Thiaw’s photo.
After Cote d’Ivoire’s elimination on Tuesday, Obayiuwana posted on the same platform: “There is no other person to blame for the unceremonious exit of the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire from the Fifa World Cup than this man (Cote d’Ivoire’s coach Emerse Fae). Norway eliminated them because he got his tactics wrong. Simple as that.”
