World Cup 2026: which countries have qualified and how did they do it?

Africa

All nine of the automatic places have been filled by the nine group winners, with the four best runners-up – DR Congo, Gabon, Cameroon and Nigeria – competing in November’s playoffs in Morocco. Nigeria beat Gabon 4-1 in the first semi-final, while Cameroon fell to a last-gasp 1-0 defeat by DR Congo in the second tie. DR Congo upset Nigeria after a gripping penalty shootout in the final, and go through to represent Africa in the intercontinental playoffs in March.

Egypt

Mohamed Salah scored twice as Hossam Hassan’s side beat Djibouti 3-0 in Casablanca in October and made up for missing out on Qatar 2022 by reaching the finals with a game in hand. This will be Egypt’s fourth finals, even though they have yet to win a game. Bizarrely, the Pharaohs did qualify for the first World Cup, in 1930, but missed their boat from Marseille to South America after a storm delayed them.

Morocco

The undisputed neutrals’ favourites at the last finals became the first African nation to reach the 2026 showpiece with a 5-0 thumping of Niger on 5 September in Rabat. The Qatar 2022 semi-finalists qualified from Group E with two games to spare after Tanzania’s 1-1 draw in Congo-Brazzaville. The Atlas Lions have reached the finals six times and will co-host the 2030 edition alongside Portugal and Spain (the three opening matches will be played in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay).

Tunisia

Likewise, the Carthage Eagles qualified with two games to spare in Group H. Mohamed Ben Romdhane’s last-gasp winner and the defiance of the goalkeeper, Aymen Dahmen, in Malabo against Equatorial Guinea ensured Tunisia reached the finals for a seventh time, although they have yet to progress beyond the group stage.

Algeria

Vladimir Petkovic’s side secured their place with a comfortable 3-0 win over Somalia in October. Mohamed Amoura scored twice, taking the Wolfsburg striker’s tally in the qualifying campaign to eight, and the captain, Riyad Mahrez, added another. Victory put them four points clear of second-placed Uganda in Group G with one round of matches remaining. It will be Algeria’s fifth World Cup finals appearance but first since Brazil in 2014.

Ghana

Mohamed Kudus got the winner at home to Comoros as Ghana celebrated qualification in October. Ghana have now reached five of the last six World Cup finals but their manager, Otto Addo, has played down expectations, claiming the current crop of players are “nowhere close” to the team that reached the 2010 quarter-finals.

Cape Verde

The Blue Sharks will make their World Cup debut at the 2026 finals after topping Group D with a 3-0 home win over Eswatini in October, leaving Cameroon in second place. Having only taken part in qualifying since 2002, Cape Verde will be the second-smallest nation by population to play at a men’s finals, after Iceland in 2018.

View image in fullscreen Cape Verde fans celebrate in the stands after their team defeated Eswatini to secure a World Cup place. Photograph: Cristiano Barbosa/AP

South Africa

South Africa overcame a three-point deduction in their qualifying campaign to finish top of Group C after beating Rwanda 3-0 at home. Benin, who had a two-point lead going into the final round of games, fell from top to third after losing 4-0 to Nigeria, with Victor Osimhen’s hat-trick ensuring the Super Eagles secured second spot to advan