The 2026 World Cup is here, and African supporters are arriving with a different posture: less hopeful and more expectant.
With ten
confirmed places and an expanded 48-team format, there have never been so many
African teams in a World Cup before.
South African fan culture in particular has its own
rhythm, and Bafana Bafana's return to the World Cup has woken up a passion that
has been dormant for far too long. Supporters are heading into this tournament
with eagle eyes, scanning the fixture list and looking at the path to the
final. To stay on top of the numbers and back their favourites, many are
turning to Goal.com betting guides
to help inform their analysis.
The weight of the World Cup
Nigerian, Ghanaian, and Senegalese fans have often
viewed the World Cup with their history hats on, revelling in the past teams
that impressed on the world’s biggest stage. And the heartache, of course.
The 2010 quarter-final between Ghana and Uruguay was
monumental. 7 million watched in
the UK alone - around 200 million around the world saw it. It was a
last-minute goal-line clearance and a missed penalty. We all remember.
Then there was Morocco's 2022 run, which changed
everything. They become the first African and Arab nation to reach a World Cup
semi-final. It was history in the making, particularly resonating with the
northern continent's global diaspora. But these moments, mixed with the 9 teams
heading over in 2026, are what’s building expectations.
A new format with real questions
Doubling from five to ten berths was huge news - it
will put some nations that typically struggle to reach the tournament on the
main stage. The 48-team model has caused some confusion, with a split of twelve
groups of four, where eight third-placed teams will head through to the
knockout round. One win is likely enough.
•
Morocco:
Walid Regragui’s side leads the country with the best odds of reaching the
final. With Achraf Hakimi securing up the defence, and despite the injury
setback of Hakimi, many are expecting a repeat of 2022.
•
Senegal:
The AFCON pedigree and sheer physicality of Senegal may be enough to carry them
through to the knockouts. They have the squad depth to beat Iraq, though Norway
could prove to be a deceivingly tricky game. France, of course, is the
tournament favourite.
•
Ivory
Coast: They’re on super form as they got through the qualifiers with a
record-breaking defensive performance. They demolished Seychelles 7 nil to
break another record, and will fancy their chances against Curacao and Ecuador
for a second place finish.
•
South
Africa: Returning to the world stage since their host year, Bafana Bafana
faces a rough challenge in a mixed group of Mexico, South Korea and
Czechia.
•
Egypt:
Led by M. Salah, the Pharaohs had a grueling qualification experience but made
it. With New Zealand, Iran, and Belgium in their group, they face a good
outlook to reach the knock outs.
•
Ghana:
The Black Stars have Mohammed Kudus out. Though it’s not official, it’s likely,
and it’s disheartening. They are in England’s group with Panama and Croatia. A
difficult group, but Iñaki Williams and Thomas Partey look to put in a shift
and inspire their team.
•
Algeria:
The success of the technical and passionate Algeria may come down to their
defensive performance. It’s a difficult group, but Riyad Mahrez looks to
solidify his legacy.
•
DR Congo:
It’s been a half-century wait, but the time has finally come after a
last-minute qualifier goal. Aaron Wan-Bissaka looks to inspire his team in a
tough group of Portugal, Uzbekistan and Colombia.
•
Tunisia:
Tunisia are suited to tournament football, with a good defensive record and
ability to close out games. But, they’re arguably in the toughest group with
the Netherlands, Japan and Sweden.
•
Cape
Verde: With a population of half a million, Cape Verde become the second
smallest nation ever in a World Cup. They didn’t just scrape by either - they
placed higher than Cameroon, but face an incredibly tough group of Spain,
Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia.
Five stars to watch
Many of these need no introduction, but to
summarise, below are the five stars to look out for this World Cup:
1. Mohamed Salah (Egypt): The
Egyptian King is still one of the best players in the world, even if his club
season hasn’t gone to plan.
2. Yoane Wissa (DR Congo): Wissa is
a big part of the reason why DR Congo ended their 52 year WC drought. He’s
their creative source and a big reason why they beat Jamaica to reach the
finals.
3. Achraf Hakimi (Morocco): Hakimi
may well be the best right back in the world. He does everything from defence
to assists, and despite his injury scare recently, he looks to play a
leadership for Morocco.
4. Nicolas Pépé (Ivory Coast): The
ex-Arsenal winger has had a resurgence. While many thought he had missed his
peak, he is hitting form and is a big spark in the Ivory Coast team.
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