Africa Celebrates Historic FIFA World Cup Showing As Nine CAF Teams Reach Knockout Stage

Africa Celebrates Historic FIFA World Cup Showing As Nine CAF Teams Reach Knockout Stage

Sampson Adedeji 

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has emerged as one of the biggest success stories of the FIFA World Cup 2026 after nine of its 10 representatives secured places in the Round of 32, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

With a remarkable 90 percent qualification rate, Africa recorded the highest knockout qualification percentage among all six continental confederations, underlining the continent's growing strength on the global stage.

South America's CONMEBOL followed with five of its six teams (83 percent) advancing, while Europe (UEFA) saw 13 of its 16 representatives (81 percent) progress to the knockout rounds.

Host confederation CONCACAF managed to send only three of its six teams (50 percent) into the last 32 despite the tournament being staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Asia's AFC endured a difficult campaign, with just two of its nine teams (22 percent) reaching the knockout phase, while Oceania (OFC) failed to produce a Round of 32 qualifier from its lone representative.

The impressive performance by African nations marks another milestone for the continent at the expanded 48-team FIFA World Cup, reinforcing the growing competitiveness of CAF teams on football's biggest stage as they now aim to make a deep run in the knockout rounds.

The nine African countries that have qualified for the Round of 32 are: Morocco, South Africa, Cote D'ivoire, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Senegal, DR Congo and Algeria.