Ten African nations will compete at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, the highest number of African qualifiers in the tournament’s history, according to the Confederation of African Football.
Algeria, Cape Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia secured qualification, giving Africa its largest-ever representation at a single World Cup.
The previous record stood at five nations, the allocation African football received under the 32-team tournament format.
The increase reflects FIFA’s decision to expand the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams for the 2026 edition, with Africa’s allocation rising from five slots to nine guaranteed berths, plus an additional intercontinental playoff spot.
DR Congo secured that playoff berth by defeating Jamaica 1-0, bringing Africa’s contingent to a record 10 teams at the 2026 tournament. The expanded format takes effect for the first time at the 2026 World Cup.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) oversaw the qualification process across six rounds of competition involving 54 member associations. Morocco, which hosted the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, and Senegal, the reigning African champions, were among the qualifiers.
For South Africa and Cape Verde, the qualification marks a return and a debut, respectively.
South Africa last appeared at the FIFA World Cup in 2010, when it became the first African nation to host the tournament, according to FIFA records. Cape Verde qualifies for the first time.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup opens June 11 and runs through July 19, with matches split across 16 host cities in North America.
