Pride, History as Record 9 out of 10 African Sides Qualify for 2026 World Cup Knockout Round

African football has reached a historic milestone at the 2026 World Cup, with an unprecedented nine out of 10 participating nations advancing to the Round of 32.

The new benchmark was set on Sunday morning following Congo's 3-1 victory over Uzbekistan and a dramatic 3-3 draw between Algeria and Austria.

This achievement shatters the previous record of two African teams reaching the knockout rounds in a single tournament, which occurred in both 2014 and 2022.

After 17 days of intense group stage competition, the nine nations carrying the continent's hopes into the next phase are Morocco, South Africa, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Cape Verde, Egypt, DR Congo, and Algeria.

Morocco, who made a historic run to the semi-finals in Qatar four years ago, appear strong once again after holding Brazil to a 1-1 draw in the group stage. The nation is also set to co-host the 2030 World Cup.

The tournament has highlighted the growing depth of talent across the continent, with surprise qualifiers like Cape Verde and DR Congo making their mark. Congo now faces a formidable challenge against England in the next round, but the team is currently celebrating its ground-breaking achievement.

"It's really historic for our country, Congo," said forward Fiston Mayele as per ESPN. "It's the first win and the first knockout stage. Today, I have to be proud here, and almost everywhere in my country, everyone is happy with what we did. We're proud to be Congolese, and I think we will keep going."

Mayele scored in the 78th minute, complementing a brace from Yoane Wissa, who converted a penalty in the 68th minute and added another goal in stoppage time.

Algeria secured its spot in the most thrilling match of the tournament so far. Tied 2-2 with Austria deep into stoppage time, captain Riyad Mahrez scored what seemed to be a late winner. Although Austria equalised on the final play, the draw was enough for both teams to advance.

Reflecting on his country's journey, DR Congo's Wissa spoke about the significance of the moment. "It's only the second time we are in the World Cup, 52 years later," he said. "We started to qualify for the World Cup four years ago with this group. Nothing is easy in football. We just need to show resilience, and when a time like this comes, you have to enjoy, because it's not easy."

Wissa believes this collective success signals a bright future for African football, driven by emerging young talent.

"Now every African team can dream big. The last World Cup, Morocco has been to the semifinal," Wissa noted. "What's coming next is good for the African teams, and we can see that now youngest players come earlier... that shows our federation can dream big."