Morocco’s latest World Cup campaign has confirmed their place among football’s global elite, as a group of African nations delivered eye-catching performances at the 2026 tournament – even though the continent again fell short of the semi-finals.
Four years after their historic run to the last four in Qatar, the Atlas Lions once more mixed with the game’s superpowers. Drawn against Brazil in their opening match, Morocco held the five-time world champions before advancing impressively to the quarter-finals.
Their journey ended with a 2-0 defeat by France – who went on to reach the semi-finals – with Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele on the scoresheet. Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou produced a string of saves, including stopping a Mbappe penalty, to keep Morocco in the contest for long spells.
Morocco finished as both the highest-ranked African and Arab side at the tournament and were the only African team to reach the last eight. Far from being a one-off success, their performance underlined a new, sustained status among the world’s leading football nations, as the country also looks ahead to co-hosting the 2030 World Cup.
Egypt’s breakthrough after years of frustration
If Morocco’s run was a confirmation, Egypt’s was a long-awaited breakthrough.
Despite a rich talent pool and a storied continental record, the Pharaohs had struggled historically to convert their potential into deep World Cup runs. In 2026 they finally broke that pattern, starting with a disciplined 0-0 draw against Belgium in the group stage.
Egypt progressed to the knockout phase and then won their first-ever World Cup match in the last 32, edging Australia on penalties after a 1-1 draw (4-2 on spot-kicks). The result was hailed at home as a defining moment for a new Egyptian generation, one seen as capable of competing consistently at the highest level rather than merely qualifying.
DR Congo’s return ends in narrow loss to England
The Democratic Republic of Congo delivered one of the most compelling stories of the tournament.
Known as Zaire when they last appeared at a World Cup in 1974, the Leopards had to battle through African play-offs and then an intercontinental play-off against Jamaica just to secure their ticket to 2026.
Once in the United States, Canada and Mexico, DR Congo refused to be overawed. They opened with an impressive 1-1 draw against Portugal and went on to reach the round of 32 for the first time in their history.
There they pushed England hard, holding their own for long periods before eventually losing 2-1 to a Harry Kane brace. Despite the defeat, that extra round reached marked a significant step forward and confirmed DR Congo as an emerging force in African football.
Cape Verde’s fairytale debut on the world stage
Cape Verde, the smallest country by land area ever to qualify for a World Cup, arrived as complete newcomers but looked anything but out of their depth.
The Blue Sharks began with a 0-0 draw against Spain, frustrating the former world champions with an organised and fearless display. They then advanced to the last 32, where they faced defending champions Argentina.
In one of the tournament’s most dramatic matches, Cape Verde pushed Argentina into extra time, eventually losing 3-2 after a heroic effort. Their debut campaign is likely to be remembered as one of the World Cup’s standout underdog stories and has immediately positioned Cape Verde as one of the African teams to watch in the coming years.
Progress clear – but last-four target still unmet
Taken together, the journeys of Morocco, Egypt, DR Congo and Cape Verde highlight different but converging paths of progress for African football: consolidation of elite status for Morocco, a psychological breakthrough for Egypt, a triumphant World Cup return for DR Congo and a revelation in Cape Verde’s debut.
Yet the overarching objective remains unfulfilled. No African side reached the semi-finals in 2026, and nations such as Ivory Coast and Senegal – both narrowly eliminated in the last 32 – will depart with a sense of what might have been.
The continent’s trajectory is undeniably upward, but the next great milestone is clear. Since Morocco’s trailblazing semi-final appearance in 2022, no African team has managed to emulate that feat. Breaking through that final barrier – turning promise and progress into a regular presence in the last four – remains the next frontier for African football on the world stage.
