The Round of 32 has come to a heartbreaking end for most of Africa’s representatives at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Of the nine African nations that reached the knockout stage, only Morocco and Egypt have secured places in the Round of 16.
The dreams of Ghana, Algeria, Cabo Verde, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, South Africa and DR Congo all came to an end, leaving just two nations carrying the continent’s hopes.
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Egypt Hold Their Nerve
Egypt became Africa’s second representative in the Round of 16 after a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Australia.
The match finished 1-1 after extra time, forcing penalties.
Despite Australia making a late goalkeeper change in an attempt to gain the advantage, the Pharaohs remained composed, winning the shootout 4-2 to book their place in the next round.
Ghana’s Disappointing Exit
For many African supporters, Ghana’s performance against Colombia was perhaps the most disappointing of the Round of 32.
Colombia took the lead as early as the 14th minute, and the Black Stars never truly looked like mounting a comeback.
Their passing lacked urgency, attacking moves repeatedly broke down, and clear chances were few and far between.
After the match, defender Jerome Opoku reflected on the team’s struggles.
“We can defend and defend, but if we don’t score that one goal to relieve the pressure, then we can’t succeed. Colombia took their chances, but we didn’t.”
Many supporters, however, felt Ghana failed to create enough opportunities to truly test Colombia.
Algeria Fall to Switzerland
Algeria’s World Cup journey also came to an end after a 2-0 defeat to Switzerland.
The Desert Foxes battled throughout the contest but were unable to find the breakthrough as Switzerland’s quality proved decisive.
Cabo Verde Leave with Heads Held High
Although Cabo Verde’s World Cup journey came to an end, they left the tournament with their heads held high after pushing defending champions Argentina to the limit.
The island nation frustrated Argentina throughout the match, with the Round of 32 encounter ending 1-1 after 90 minutes to force extra time.
Cabo Verde continued to battle and even found another goal in extra time to make it 2-2, refusing to let the reigning world champions have things their own way.
However, Argentina’s relentless pressure eventually paid off. The decisive moment came when a dangerous attack forced an own goal, giving the defending champions a dramatic 3-2 victory and ending Cabo Verde’s remarkable World Cup campaign.
Despite the defeat, Cabo Verde earned widespread praise across Africa and beyond. Their fearless display against one of the tournament’s favourites showed exactly why they had become one of the surprise stories of the competition, with many supporters saying they represented the continent with pride until the very end.
Round of 16 Takes Shape
Elsewhere, Spain secured their place in the Round of 16, while Portugal defeated Croatia to set up an all-Iberian clash between the two European giants.
Africa’s hopes now rest with just two nations.
Morocco will face Canada in the Round of 16, while Egypt take on defending champions Argentina in what promises to be one of the biggest tests of their campaign.
Final Whistle
Africa began the knockout stage with nine representatives.
Now, only two remain.
Morocco and Egypt carry not only their own ambitions but also the hopes of an entire continent.
The journey has become more difficult, but as this World Cup has already shown, football has a way of producing unforgettable stories.
All eyes now turn to the Round of 16.
