Written by Omnia Hassan
With the curtain falling on the first round of the group stage in World Cup In 2026, African teams stole the spotlight with a strong showing that confirmed the rapid development of football in the African continent. Between historic results, draws that tasted like victories, and remarkable technical performances, African teams succeeded in proving their ability to compete with the world's best, reviving the hopes of fans for a new achievement during the largest edition in the history of the World Cup.
Morocco forces a draw against Brazil
The Moroccan national team was one of the standout players of the first round after securing a valuable 1-1 draw against Brazil in Group C.
The “Atlas Lions” delivered a well-organized performance against one of the top contenders for the title, confirming that their historic achievement in the Qatar 2022 World Cup was not just a coincidence, but the result of a comprehensive football project.
Egypt and Cape Verde write a new chapter
The Egyptian national team succeeded in achieving an important draw against Belgium with a score of 1-1 in the competitions of Group Seven, in a match in which the Pharaohs showed a strong character against one of the strongest teams in Europe.
In Group H, Cape Verde pulled off a major upset by holding Spain, the European champions and one of the favorites to win the title, to a goalless draw.
The result was considered one of the biggest surprises of the first round, after the African team succeeded in closing down spaces and thwarting Spanish attacks throughout the match.
Two precious victories for Ghana and Ivory Coast
Ghana continued its strong presence in international tournaments with an important 1-0 victory over Panama in Group Twelve, putting its first three points in its tally and giving itself an early advantage in the qualification race.
Ivory Coast also achieved a valuable victory over Ecuador with a clean goal in Group E, confirming their readiness to compete for one of the two qualifying spots for the next round.
Senegal, Algeria and South Africa had mixed results
The Senegalese national team faced a tough test against France and lost 3-1, while the Algerian national team fell to Argentina by a score of 3-0 in a strong match against the former world champion.
South Africa, on the other hand, managed to secure a valuable point after a 1-1 draw with the Czech Republic, keeping their hopes alive in the competition for qualification.
Africa asserts its global presence
The first round of the 2026 World Cup showed that African teams have become a force to be reckoned with in world football.
Between the victories of Ivory Coast and Ghana, and the draws of Morocco, Egypt, Cape Verde and South Africa, the African continent proved its ability to compete with the big teams, making the upcoming rounds likely to be more exciting and fuel African ambitions towards advanced stages in the World Cup.
