Online Reporter
AFRICA’S final three automatic qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup football finals are South Africa, Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire after a busy Tuesday saw 11 matches played across the continent.
South Africa secured their ticket in the early-evening block of matches, defeating Rwanda 3-0 at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, courtesy of goals from Thalente Mbatha, Oswin Appollis and Evidence Makgopa.
This, combined with a 4-0 win for Nigeria over Benin at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo (featuring a hat-trick from Victor Osimhen), saw Bafana Bafana leapfrog to the top of the Group C standings and secure their fourth World Cup appearance, adding to 1998, 2002 and 2010. As for the Super Eagles, their emphatic triumph secured a top-ranked runners-up finish, which will see them join Gabon, Cameroon and DR Congo in next month’s second round play-offs.
The early-evening slot also saw Algeria come from behind to defeat Uganda 2-1 in a Group G clash in Tizi Ouzou, with a brace of penalties from Mohamed Amoura — crushing the Cranes’ hopes of being one of the top-ranked runners-up. Elsewhere in Group G, Mozambique defeated bottom-of-the-log Somalia 1-0 in Oran to finish third, while Guinea and Botswana played out an entertaining 2-2 draw to come home in fourth and fifth respectively.
In the night matches, Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire claimed home wins to secure the top spots in Groups B and F respectively.
The Teranga Lions overpowered Mauritania 4-0 at the Diamniadio Olympic Stadium — inspired by a brace from talisman Sadio Mane — to earn them a fourth World Cup appearance, adding to 2002, 2018 and 2022.
The Elephants trumped Kenya 3-0 at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan — with goals from Franck Kessie, Yan Diomande and Amad Diallo — to see them return to the World Cup and add to previous appearances in 2006, 2010 and 2014. In addition, Groups B and F produced the last two top-ranked runners-up advancing to the playoffs: in the former, DR Congo defeated Sudan 1-0 at the Martyrs Stadium in Kinshasa via a goal from Theo Bongonda to oust Burkina Faso from the top quartet, while in the latter, Gabon’s berth was already assured before their 2-0 win over Burundi with goals from Bryan Meyo Ngoua and Mario Lemina at the Franceville Stadium.
The night matches also featured already-qualified Morocco defeating Congo 1-0 through a goal from Youssef En Nesyri at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
The Atlas Lions therefore created a slice of football history, recording a world record 16th successive win in senior international football.
2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers (CAF/Africa) Results:
Seychelles 0-7 Gambia, Somalia 0-1 Mozambique, Algeria 2-1 Uganda, South Africa 3-0 Rwanda, Nigeria 4-0 Benin, Guinea 2-2 Botswana, Cote d’Ivoire 3-0 Kenya, Gabon 2-0 Burundi, DR Congo 1-0 Sudan, Morocco 1-0 Congo, Senegal 4-0 Mauritania, AFRICA’S NINE AUTOMATIC QUALIFIERS
Morocco (previous appearances in 1970, 1986, 1994, 1998, 2018, 2022), Tunisia (1978, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2018, 2022), Egypt (1934, 1990, 2018), Algeria (1982, 1986, 2010, 2014), Ghana (2006, 2010, 2014, 2022)
Cape Verde (debutants), South Africa (1998, 2002, 2010), Cote d’Ivoire (2006, 2010, 2014), Senegal (2002, 2018, 2022),
Top-ranked runners-up
Gabon, Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo — AFP Sport.
