\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tby Sidnee Michelle <\/p>\n
July 1, 2026<\/p>\n
Morocco, Algeria, Cape Verde, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and South Africa secured places in the knockout stage <\/p>\n
Nine African nations advanced to the FIFA World Cup Round of 32, setting a tournament record and marking the continent\u2019s strongest collective performance<\/a> in World Cup history, Reuters<\/em> reports.<\/p>\n Morocco, Algeria, Cape Verde, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and South Africa secured places in the knockout stage following the conclusion of group play on June 28. Tunisia was the only African representative eliminated before the single-elimination rounds.<\/p>\n The milestone comes during the first 48-team FIFA World Cup, hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, which increased Africa\u2019s allocation from five teams in 2022 to nine automatic berths plus one intercontinental playoff berth in 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n The result surpasses the previous record of two African nations reaching the knockout stage at a single World Cup and follows Morocco\u2019s historic semifinal appearance at the 2022 tournament in Qatar. The outlet reports that five African teams advanced as group runners-up, while four earned knockout berths as the tournament\u2019s highest-ranked third-place finishers.\u00a0<\/p>\n Confederation of African Football President Patrice Motsepe said the achievement reflects years of investment across the continent.<\/p>\n \u201cThis success is not by chance,\u201d Motsepe told the outlet.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is the result of years of hard work, investment in youth development, infrastructure, and coaching.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Democratic Republic of the Congo coach S\u00e9bastien Desabre also credited sustained development for Africa\u2019s performance.<\/p>\n \u201cThere has been a lot of work done over the last 10 years,\u201d Desabre said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe quality of African football has improved, and the players are playing at the highest level in Europe.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The tournament has also produced several national milestones. Cape Verde reached the knockout stage in its first World Cup appearance, while South Africa advanced beyond the group stage for the first time. Democratic Republic of the Congo also reached the knockout rounds for the first time since competing as Zaire at the 1974 World Cup. The round of 32 continues through July 3 before the round of 16 begins on July 4, with four African nations already advancing to that stage as of June 30.<\/p>\n The outlet reports that the results have renewed discussion about Africa\u2019s growing competitiveness on the global stage and its future representation in FIFA competitions.\u00a0<\/p>\n RELATED CONTENT: This African Nation Says It\u2019s Time For World Map To Reflect The Continent\u2019s True Size<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Sidnee Michelle July 1, 2026 Morocco, Algeria, Cape Verde, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and South Africa secured places in the knockout stage Nine African nations advanced to the FIFA World Cup Round of 32, setting a tournament record and marking the continent\u2019s strongest collective performance in World Cup 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NEWS<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"by Sidnee Michelle July 1, 2026 Morocco, Algeria, Cape Verde, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and South Africa secured places in the knockout stage Nine African nations advanced to the FIFA World Cup Round of 32, setting a tournament record and marking the continent\u2019s strongest collective performance in World 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