Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Dr. Patrice Motsepe has described Africa’s performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup as a landmark achievement, praising the continent's representative nations for showcasing the rapid rise and competitiveness of African football on the global stage.
In an official statement released on the CAF website on Wednesday, Motsepe commended the 10 African nations that competed at the expanded 48-team tournament: Algeria, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, and Tunisia.
Record-Breaking Knockout Qualification
The 2026 tournament saw an unprecedented nine out of 10 African teams (90%) progress from the group stage to the Round of 32—the highest qualification rate for the continent in FIFA World Cup history.
Highlighting the continent's disproportionate impact on the global tournament, Motsepe noted that while Africa made up 20.8% of the initial participating teams, African nations accounted for 28.1% of all teams reaching the knockout rounds.
“The nine African National Teams that qualified from the Group Stage to the Round of 32 made history at the FIFA World Cup 2026... this is 90 per cent of the African National Teams that participated, and is the highest percentage to qualify to date,” Motsepe stated. “Significant progress and successes were achieved by the African National Teams... and I am very proud of their performances.”
Standout Performances
Motsepe paid special tribute to standout campaigns across the continent:
Morocco: Applauded for achieving back-to-back FIFA World Cup quarter-final appearances following their historic 2022 run.
Egypt: Commended for securing a place in the Round of 16.
Group Stage Achievers: Praised the tactical strength and resilience of Cabo Verde, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, South Africa, Ghana, and Tunisia.
The Road to 2030: Strategy and Investment
While celebrating the success, the CAF chief emphasized that the continent must not become complacent. CAF has identified key technical areas for growth and plans to convert these achievements into future World Cup silverware.
Post-Mortem Technical Conference
To prepare for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, CAF will convene a high-level review conference. The summit will bring together:
National team head coaches and technical directors
Former African international players
Football experts and global stakeholders
The panel will evaluate Africa’s 2026 campaign and draft technical recommendations to elevate the continent's performance even further for the 2030 edition.
“We have identified specific areas where there is room for improvement, and I am confident that the coaches, technical teams, and players will implement the necessary improvements,” Motsepe added. “We will continue to train and invest in our boys' and girls' football players, amateur football, professional football leagues, and our National Teams in each of the 54 African countries to make African football globally competitive and amongst the best in the world.”
