Africa's representation at the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been reduced to just two teams after a difficult round of 32 saw seven nations eliminated, breaking an unwanted record that had stood for 88 years. Egypt and Morocco remain the continent's only hopes of reaching the quarter-finals after a wave of eliminations left African supporters with mixed emotions.
The continent began the expanded 2026 tournament with 10 representatives, and nine of them reached the newly introduced round of 32. However, after a bruising knockout stage, only two nations survived. Egypt became the latest team to keep the continent's dreams alive after edging Australia in a dramatic penalty shootout, while Morocco had earlier secured their place in the last 16 with victory over the Netherlands.
Egypt's Historic Knockout Win
The Pharaohs booked their place in the next stage following a tense contest against Australia. Emam Ashour put Egypt ahead during the first half before Mohamed Hany's unfortunate own goal levelled the scores shortly after the restart. Neither team managed to find a decisive goal during extra time, sending the contest to penalties. Egypt held their nerve from the spot, defeating the Socceroos 4-2 to secure a place in the round of 16.
The victory also represented a landmark achievement for the North Africans, who celebrated their first-ever knockout-stage win at a FIFA World Cup. According to ESPN, they will now face defending champions Argentina after Lionel Messi inspired the South Americans to a dramatic 3-2 extra-time victory over Cape Verde.
Morocco Advances Past Netherlands
Morocco had earlier become Africa's first nation to qualify for the round of 16 after defeating the Netherlands 3-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw. The Atlas Lions now prepare for another stern test against tournament co-hosts Canada.
Painful Exits for Other African Teams
While Egypt and Morocco celebrated, several other African nations saw their World Cup journeys come to an end. Ivory Coast were beaten 2-1 by Norway, South Africa suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Canada, and Switzerland comfortably eliminated Algeria 2-0. England ended DR Congo's campaign with a 2-1 victory, while Belgium edged Senegal 3-2 in another entertaining encounter.
Cape Verde produced one of the tournament's biggest surprises by pushing defending champions Argentina into extra time before eventually losing 3-2. Ghana became the latest casualty after suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat against Colombia. Tunisia had already exited during the group stage and failed to reach the round of 32.
Unwanted World Cup Record Falls
Ghana's elimination carried additional historical significance. According to football statistician MisterChip, the Black Stars became the seventh African nation to be knocked out during the round of 32. That outcome meant seven CAF representatives exited during the same knockout round, setting a new unwanted FIFA World Cup record. The previous mark had stood for 88 years, when six UEFA nations were eliminated during the 1938 tournament.
The new record highlights both the unprecedented number of African teams participating in the expanded competition and the disappointment of seeing so many depart at the same stage. With only Egypt and Morocco remaining, the continent's hopes of reaching the quarter-finals now rest firmly on the shoulders of the two North African giants.
CAF Congratulates Egypt
The Confederation of African Football congratulated Egypt after the Pharaohs secured their first-ever FIFA World Cup knockout victory by defeating Australia on penalties. CAF praised Egypt's resilience throughout the contest, saying the seven-time African champions continue to write new chapters in their football history with every milestone achieved at the tournament.
