Africa will have a record nine representatives in the knockout stage of the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Algeria and DR Congo are the latest teams from the continent to seal their last-32 ticket at the ongoing competition following their last group stage matches on Sunday.
They joined Morocco, South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Cabo Verde, Senegal and Ghana, who had previously confirmed their places in the Round of 32.
DR Congo qualified after their first victory, 3-1 over Uzbekistan in Atlanta.
The result earned the Leopards four points and took them to the top of the eight best third-placed teams. They will face England next on Wednesday.
Algeria, which squeezed a 3-3 draw against Austria on Sunday, progressed to the last 32 as one of the tournament’s best third-placed teams.
The Desert Warriors finished third in Group J with four points from three matches, behind Argentina and Austria.
The result completed a remarkable group-stage campaign for Africa, with nine of its 10 participating nations advancing to the knockout rounds — an unprecedented achievement for the continent at the FIFA World Cup.
Tunisia were the only African side eliminated after finishing bottom of Group F without a point.
With 90 per cent of its representatives still in contention, Africa heads into the knockout rounds with renewed confidence and one of its strongest-ever showings at the tournament.
Check the full round of 32 fixtures of all African teams below: https://punchng.com/world-cup-2026-round-of-32-full-fixtures-dates-venues-revealed/
Saheed is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over two years of experience covering metro, technology, sports, politics, and human-interest stories. He focuses on producing clear, engaging reports across diverse beats. Saheed’s work reflects hands-on newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate and balanced journalism.
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