Africa’s Road to the 2026 World Cup Heats Up as Qualifiers Resume

Africa’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers resumed this week after nine months of rest, with big teams facing pressure to ensure the situation. Nine champions will qualify directly, while four best runners-ups will compete for their last spot through the playoffs. Nigeria has no victory at the moment and must recover under new coach Eric Chelle. Mali’s new boss Tom Saintfiet hopes to close the four-point gap in Group I. Senegal faces the surprising group B leader Sudan, Egypt, led by Mohamed Salah, remains dominant in group A. Meanwhile, Congo-Brazzaville’s FIFA suspension complicates the E-group ranking. With management reorganization and tight group points, these two matches are crucial to shaping Africa’s representation in the 2026 World Cup.
source: BBC