The first round of the group stage of the 2026 World Cup has concluded, after the African teams presented a mixed picture, combining surprising positive results and heavy losses, in a historic participation for the African continent, which recorded an unprecedented presence with 10 teams.
Disappointing start
South Africa was the first African team to appear in the tournament, when they faced Mexico in the opening match, in a rematch of the 2010 World Cup opening. But “Bafana Bafana” failed to take advantage of the occasion, losing 2-0 in a match that ended with the team down to ten men after two players were sent off.
painful defeats
South Africa was not the only team to stumble in the first round, as several African teams suffered heavy losses, most notably Tunisia, which fell to Sweden 5-1, a defeat that hastened the departure of coach Sabri Lamouchi from his position.
Algeria also encountered an exceptional night from Lionel Messi, who scored all three of Argentina’s goals in a 3-0 victory, while Senegal lost to France 3-1, despite performing well for many periods of the match.
Draws that feel like victories
In contrast, several African teams managed to secure valuable points against formidable opponents. Egypt held Belgium to a 1-1 draw, with the Pharaohs taking the lead through Emam Ashour before Belgium equalized with an own goal.
Morocco came away with a valuable point from the match against Brazil, after taking the lead with a goal from Ismail Saibari before Vinicius Junior managed to save the Samba team from defeat.
The Cape Verde national team achieved one of the most prominent surprises of the round, after extracting a goalless draw from Spain in its first World Cup participation in its history, thanks to an organized defensive performance and the remarkable brilliance of its goalkeeper.
The Democratic Republic of Congo also managed to snatch an important draw against Portugal with a score of 1-1, after overcoming the shock of conceding an early goal in the opening minutes of the match.
Two victories give the continent hope
Despite the difficulties faced by the African teams, the first round also saw two important victories. The first was Ivory Coast’s dramatic late win over Ecuador, courtesy of a goal by Amad Diallo.
The second victory came via the Ghanaian national team, which decided its match against Panama with a late goal scored by Caleb Yerinka in stoppage time, giving the “Black Stars” three valuable points in a group that includes England and Croatia.
Preliminary tally
At the end of the first round, the African teams achieved two victories, drew four matches, and suffered four defeats, leaving many of them with a chance to compete for qualification to the next round, pending the outcome of the upcoming rounds of the tournament being held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
