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By John Ogunsemore
Could Africa’s elusive quest for the men’s senior FIFA World Cup trophy finally end in 2026?
That question will be answered on the field of play by the continent’s 10 representatives, namely Algeria, Cape Verde, DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia.
While 2025 Africa Cup of Nations finalists Senegal and Morocco have been tipped as dark horses for the World Cup, the duo of Cote d’Ivoire and Algeria could also spring surprises.
Morocco
The Atlas Lions of Morocco present perhaps Africa’s biggest chance of clinching the 2026 World Cup title.
The 2022 World Cup semi-finalists sit in 8th spot on the FIFA rankings and 1st in Africa.
Boasting great players like Achraf Hakimi, Brahim Diaz and with the core of the 2022 squad still intact, it would not be surprising if the North Africans surpassed their Qatar feat or even went ahead to win the 2026 World Cup.
Although the departure of head coach Walid Regragui in March could pose a challenge, his replacement, Mohamed Ouahbi, knows he carries the hope of not just his nation but an expectant continent.
Senegal
Like Morocco, the Teranga Lions of Senegal are another African nation expected to fly the continent’s flag high in the United States, Canada and Mexico in June.
They became the second African nation to reach the World Cup quarter finals in 2002, have shocked the world by defeating title holders France in their opening game.
After winning AFCON 2025 in January, only to be stripped of the title months later, Senegal possess the resilience and technical ability to overcome just about any obstacle at the World Cup.
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Coach Pape Thiaw’s team are currently ranked 14th globally and second in Africa. They will hope to put behind them the disappointment of the 2022 World Cup, where they lost 3-0 to Harry Kane-inspired England in the Round of 16.
Some important players in the squad include all-time leading scorer Sadio Mané, defensive stalwart Kalidou Koulibaly, and goalkeeper Édouard Mendy.
The likes of Pape Matar Sarr and Nicolas Jackson are expected to bolster the team.
Algeria
The Desert Foxes of Algeria are another team expected to do Africa proud at the World Cup, with a playing style similar to Morocco’s.
Algeria are one of Africa’s most successful teams, having qualified for the FIFA World Cup five times and won the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) twice (in 1990 and 2019).
The team features a dynamic mix of seasoned veterans and young European-based talents under manager Vladimir Petković. Some top players in the team include Riyad Mahrez, Rayan Aït-Nouri, and Houssem Aouar.
Cote d’Ivoire
The Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire claimed the 2023 AFCON title with a 2-1 hard-fought victory against Nigeria, adding to their previous titles in 2015 and 1992.
They remain one of the best African teams of the past two decades, with memories of Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure dominating Europe still fresh.
The Ivorian team is defined by high-intensity, physical, and direct transition football. Under manager Emerse Faé, the team combines incredible pace on the wings with tactical flexibility.
They play primarily in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 formation, seamlessly alternating between patiently building up play and launching blistering counterattacks.
The team combines a mixture of young talents and veterans, including Yan Diomande, Ousmane Diomande, Amad Diallo, Evan Ndicka, Simon Adingra and Franck Kessie.
