Morocco Advance to Quarter-Finals as Egypt Suffer Late 3-2 Heartbreak vs Argentina: Full 2026 World Cup Review of All 10 African Teams

Africa made history at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a record nine teams reaching the Round of 32. Morocco continued their strong run by advancing to the Quarter-Finals with a commanding 3-0 win over co-hosts Canada. However, Egypt were eliminated in the Round of 16 after a dramatic 3-2 loss to defending champions Argentina. Egypt were 2-0 up till the 79th minute but they suffered a late comeback defeat.

Overall African Performance

• Teams Participated: 10

• Group Stage: 10 Wins, 11 Draws, 9 Losses (9 advanced to Round of 32)

• Round of 32: 0 Wins, 4 Draws, 5 Losses (2 advanced on penalties)

• Round of 16: 1 Win, 1 Loss

• Record: Most African teams ever in the knockout stages

Full Team-by-Team Breakdown

1. Morocco – Quarter-Finals
Group C – 2nd Place

• 1-1 Brazil (Saibari 21′)

• 1-0 Scotland (Saibari 2′)

• 4-2 Haiti (Hakimi 39′, Saibari 45+1′, Rahimi 78′, Yassine 89′)

Round of 32: Netherlands 1-1 Morocco (a.e.t.) (Gakpo 72′; Diop 90+1′) – Won 3-2 on penalties
Round of 16: Canada 0-3 Morocco

Next: vs France (9 July 2026)
Verdict: Africa’s standout team, still unbeaten.

2. Egypt – Round of 16
Group G – 2nd Place

• 1-1 Belgium (Ashour 19′)

• 3-1 New Zealand (Ziko 58′, Salah 67′, Trézéguet 82′)

• 1-1 Iran (Saber 5′)

Round of 32: Australia 1-1 Egypt (a.e.t.) (Hany o.g. 55′; Ashour 13′) – Won 4-2 on penalties
Round of 16: Egypt 2-3 Argentina (Yasser Ibrahim 15′, Mostafa Ziko 67′; Christian Romero 79′, Lionel Messi 83′, Enzo Fernández 90+3′)

Verdict: Egypt led twice and were on course for a historic victory, only for Argentina to mount a late comeback. A narrow and painful exit after a competitive display.

3. Cape Verde – Round of 32 (Debut)
Unbeaten in regular time throughout their debut World Cup campaign (0W 3D in the group stage). They pushed defending champions Argentina to extra time in the Round of 32 before falling 2-3. An outstanding and inspiring debut that captured the imagination of African fans. Cape Verde showed real quality, organisation, and never-say-die spirit on the biggest stage.

4. Ivory Coast – Round of 32
Delivered a strong group stage with two impressive victories, including wins over Ecuador and Curaçao.
Round of 32: Narrow 1-2 loss to Norway.
Demonstrated attacking flair and competitiveness. A very encouraging performance that signals the Elephants are on the right path.

5. Senegal – Round of 32
Produced moments of brilliance in the group stage and mounted a strong challenge in the Round of 32.
Round of 32: 2-3 loss to Belgium after extra time.
Showed character and attacking quality. The Teranga Lions remain a talented and dangerous side with huge potential.

6. DR Congo – Round of 32
Competitive in a tough group, securing one win and a hard-fought draw.
Round of 32: 1-2 loss to England.
Displayed fighting spirit and moments of real quality. The Leopards proved they can compete against top opposition.

7. Ghana – Round of 32
Resilient in the group stage with one win and one draw, showing character against strong sides.
Round of 32: 0-1 loss to Colombia.
Black Stars demonstrated grit and defensive solidity.

8. Algeria – Round of 32
Managed one win in the group stage and showed flashes of their traditional quality.
Round of 32: 0-2 loss to Switzerland.
The Desert Foxes had competitive moments and remain a team with rich talent and pedigree.

9. South Africa – Round of 32
Earned one win and a draw in the group stage through determined performances.
Round of 32: 0-1 defeat to Canada.
Bafana Bafana showed resilience and moments of quality. Promising signs for South African football’s continued growth.

10. Tunisia – Group Stage
Competed in a challenging group and gained valuable experience at the highest level. Participation itself adds to the growing depth of African football. Valuable lessons learned for the next cycle.

Key Takeaways

The record nine-team knockout presence shows clear progress in depth. Yet the gap between group-stage competitiveness and knockout success remains evident, with many sides undone by late concessions and game management issues.

Morocco continue to lead the way and now carry Africa’s hopes against France in the Quarter-Finals.

What stood out most for you in Africa’s 2026 campaign?
Can Morocco go all the way? Share your thoughts below.