What is in store as Africa's 2026 World Cup qualifying resumes?
African qualifiers for the 2026 Fifa World Cup resume this week after a nine-month hiatus - and the stakes are high for some big names.Six rounds of the 10-match group campaign remain, and the two fixtures this month will go a long way to deciding the fate of many teams.The nine group winners are assured of a place at the finals in Canada, Mexico and the USA.The four best second-placed sides will have a chance to earn one final spot via play-offs.A raft of managerial changes have occurred since the last round in June, with Nigeria, Senegal and Tunisia among the sides with new coaches.So what should fans look out for?
No room for error
Among the heavyweights of the continental game it is Nigeria who have the greatest need for immediate results.Winless in Group C, and languishing four points behind leaders Rwanda, Eric Chelle assumes an already high-profile role which is amplified by difficult circumstances.The former Mali coach becomes the first non-Nigerian African to take charge of the Super Eagles.The West Africans travel to Kigali before hosting Zimbabwe, and Chelle accepts they are must-win encounters for the three-time African champions."There is pressure in football," he told BBC Sport Africa."I say time is the enemy of the coach. But I'm confident and I believe in my players."Star striker Victor Osimhen says he and his team-mates are "desperate" to make the finals after missing out on the 2022 edition in Qatar.
Saintfiet aims to harness Mali talent
Another new boss needing positive returns is Tom Saintfiet, who looks to revive Mali's campaign in Group I after succeeding Chelle.The four-point gap to group leaders Comoros can be cut straight away as the Eagles travel to face the islanders."We are not in an easy position but I have a very talented group," Saintfiet told BBC Sport Africa."It's a big luxury to have so many quality players."Mali have never reached the World Cup finals and, after going unbeaten through preliminaries for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), Saintfiet is upbeat about their hopes."After six matches with four wins, two draws, I'm quite positive," the Belgian added."We going to try everything to write history."Elsewhere in Group I, Ghana will look to put their disastrous Afcon 2025 qualifying campaign behind them against Chad and Madagascar.Corentin Martins is now in the dugout for the latter, while Rigobert Song faces his first games as Central African Republic boss.
Teranga Lions tackle surprise package Sudan
Senegal boss Pape Thiaw is another man inheriting a World Cup bid after succeeding Aliou Cisse, to whom he was an assistant, last October.The West Africans ended Afcon 2025 qualifying unbeaten and former striker El Hadji Diouf has been impressed by the smooth transition in the Teranga Lions hotseat."Pape was there when Aliou was here so we [have] good continuity," Diouf told BBC Sport Africa."Senegal is a family and we have a wonderful group. We have to work together and be happy all together."The former continental champions are two points behind surprise Group B leaders Sudan and Thiaw will be without injured Premier League forwards Nicolas Jackson and Iliman Ndiaye for their away game against the Sudanese, which will be played in the neutral Libyan city of Benghazi, and the subsequent home tie against Togo.Can Sudan boss Kwasi Appiah, who has relied on the power of psychology, continue his team's remarkable run amid ongoing conflict in the country?
Pharaohs in command
Egypt have the healthiest lead of any side, with a four-point cushion at the summit of Group A.Pharaohs captain Mohamed Salah was rested during the latter stages of the Afcon 2025 qualifying campaign, but the forward will hope to carry his rich vein of form with Liverpool into games against Ethiopia and Sierra Leone.Salah will come up against new Leone Stars head coach Mohammed Kallon, and the former Inter Milan and Monaco striker has selected Manchester City's new teenage defender Juma Bah and 40-year-old Kei Kamara in his first squad.Meanwhile, Sami Trabelsi is back for a second stint in charge of Tunisia with the Carthage Eagles top of Group H by two points.Reigning continental champions Ivory Coast have a one-point advantage in Group F, while new Kenya coach Benni McCarthy is targeting a first-ever World Cup qualification as he looks to reduce the five-point gap to the Elephants.In Group D, Cameroon are just one point ahead of Cape Verde and Libya, who last week appointed Aliou Cisse as their new boss.The Indomitable Lions are looking to add to their eight World Cup appearances.As things stand, the closest group to call is Group G, where the top five sides are separated by just three points.Vladimir Petkovic comfortably guided Algeria to qualification for Afcon 2025 but Les Verts face Mozambique and Botswana, two more teams who will be in Morocco in December.Guinea and Afcon 2027 co-hosts Uganda are also poised to capitalise on any slip ups.
Congo suspension throws up questions
Africa's top-ranked side Morocco have the only 100% record remaining, but the picture in Group E is complicated.Eritrea withdrew before qualifiers kicked off and last month Congo-Brazzaville were suspended from international football by world governing body Fifa.The Red Devils' ties in March against Tanzania and Zambia have been cancelled, and there is little room to rearrange games in a packed international calendar, even if they somehow succeed in overturning their ban.All eyes are now on Fifa and the Confederation of African Football for a decision on how teams finishing second in their group will be ranked heading into potential play-offs.If Congo-Brazzaville drop out as well, then things become even more complicated and every game takes on extra meaning.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Powys County Times
37 minutes ago
- Powys County Times
Craig Bellamy: Wales World Cup qualification hopes alive despite loss to Belgium
Craig Bellamy insisted Wales' hopes of qualifying automatically for the World Cup were far from over despite their dramatic 4-3 defeat to Belgium. Wales lost a seven-goal thriller in Brussels after fighting back from a 3-0 deficit, only for Kevin De Bruyne to deliver a gut punch two minutes from time. It was Bellamy's first defeat in 10 games in charge and Wales were also knocked off top spot in Group J by North Macedonia, 1-0 winners in Kazakhstan. Until the end. Yma o Hyd ♥️ — Wales 🏴 (@Cymru) June 9, 2025 Belgium are three points behind Wales with two games in hand, and will visit Cardiff in October for the return fixture. The group winners will qualify automatically for next summer's finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States, with Wales almost certainly guaranteed a play-off place through their Nations League results. Wales manager Bellamy said: 'I think I read something from the Belgium media – 'an easy way to the USA'? 'There's a lot of life in this group and today I saw a lot of life in this team. We aren't going anywhere. 'I will have a couple of weeks now of recharging but I'm beyond proud and really excited about the future.' Belgium led 3-0 inside 27 minutes through Romelu Lukaku – a controversial penalty awarded after De Bruyne's shot hit the hand of Brennan Johnson – Youri Tielemans and Jeremy Doku. Harry Wilson gave Wales hope from the penalty spot ahead of the break before Sorba Thomas, with his first Wales goal, and Johnson put the visitors back on level terms. Bellamy said: 'I don't like losing. I understand the game but how you lose is more important. 'Who are you as a person? Who is your team? I see that and I'm beyond proud. We're a good team. 'To come to a top-eight team and can we play the way we want to play? I think the Belgium players saw it as well. I won't tell you what we discussed.' Bellamy had promised to go on the attack in Brussels before the game and not sit back and defend against opponents ranked eighth in the world. He said: 'I understand results, I really do. But football means more to me than that. It always has done. 'I'd rather try something great and fail than do nothing and succeed. I've always been that way. 'I might not be great at anything but I'll try to be. It means more. I liked that. 'I said I wasn't coming to sit back, it's not in my nature, don't do it … it's not our culture, it's not who we are. 'So for me it was, 'can we come to a top-eight team in the world then and come and play?'.'
Powys County Times
37 minutes ago
- Powys County Times
Thomas Tuchel urges England to play with a smile ahead of Senegal clash
Thomas Tuchel wants his England team to play matches the same way they train – with a smile on their face. The German was critical of the team's performance as they laboured to a 1-0 victory over minnows Andorra in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday. However, he is convinced the team can click into gear and insists there will be no need for them to feel inferior to the likes of Spain, Portugal and France at next summer's World Cup. We're live from St. George's Park where Thomas Tuchel – followed by Bukayo Saka – will speak ahead of tomorrow's game against Senegal! 🎙️ — England (@England) June 9, 2025 'I see us train with a smile, but not play with a smile,' Tuchel said. 'We need to improve, for sure. We need to improve in connections, in support, in interactions in the group. 'I feel we are too isolated on the pitch. We have not clicked yet. I don't see it has clicked between the players. 'We haven't done that yet, but it's also not the moment to look only on the negative side. We have a lot of positives to take away in training and in the sessions I see a lot of it, and it will obviously take a little bit to translate it to the pitch. 'The best thing is to focus on the principles of the game, to give clear instructions to the players, what we expect from them in their role,' he said. 'And then they forget about the shirt and how heavy it is, that they are free in the role and that they know what to do, and they have people around with whom it is easy for them to connect. And then just go for it.' Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka missed the Andorra game with a minor knock but Tuchel confirmed he would start against Senegal in a friendly at the City Ground in Nottingham on Tuesday night. It will be the first time the 23-year-old has played for England since Tuchel took charge, after he was unavailable for the international games in March as he recovered from a hamstring injury. The German also indicated the match could present a good opportunity for him to give some minutes one of his back-up goalkeepers, Dean Henderson or James Trafford. Tuchel and the England squad watched the Nations League final on Sunday between Spain and Portugal, with the German admitting the high-quality football played in the final four of that tournament was the 'benchmark' England had to reach. He has every faith in England to achieve the same standards though when it really matters, despite the poor performance against Andorra. 'We will rise to the occasion because it's very different. This will come. It will bring out the very best in us. We shall not develop a complex, because there is no need for it. Everyone is beatable,' he said. 'It is one of the most difficult things to do to play Spain in a final. They play with this natural self-confidence to be on the ball, to pass the ball around and to play through gaps. 'This is what they do. This is what they love. They make you suffer. They make you run behind. 'It takes a lot of time until you have the ball, but I think we have the quality, we have the ability and we have the courage. 'I struggle to say (it) because we were not there (as the coaching team in the Euros final in Germany), but it was 1-1 in the final and Spain scored in the last minute and it was the moment that gave the title to Spain. 'We have what it takes to compete.'
South Wales Argus
38 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
Thomas Tuchel urges England to play with a smile ahead of Senegal clash
The German was critical of the team's performance as they laboured to a 1-0 victory over minnows Andorra in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday. However, he is convinced the team can click into gear and insists there will be no need for them to feel inferior to the likes of Spain, Portugal and France at next summer's World Cup. We're live from St. George's Park where Thomas Tuchel – followed by Bukayo Saka – will speak ahead of tomorrow's game against Senegal! 🎙️ — England (@England) June 9, 2025 'I see us train with a smile, but not play with a smile,' Tuchel said. 'We need to improve, for sure. We need to improve in connections, in support, in interactions in the group. 'I feel we are too isolated on the pitch. We have not clicked yet. I don't see it has clicked between the players. 'We haven't done that yet, but it's also not the moment to look only on the negative side. We have a lot of positives to take away in training and in the sessions I see a lot of it, and it will obviously take a little bit to translate it to the pitch. 'The best thing is to focus on the principles of the game, to give clear instructions to the players, what we expect from them in their role,' he said. 'And then they forget about the shirt and how heavy it is, that they are free in the role and that they know what to do, and they have people around with whom it is easy for them to connect. And then just go for it.' Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka missed the Andorra game with a minor knock but Tuchel confirmed he would start against Senegal in a friendly at the City Ground in Nottingham on Tuesday night. It will be the first time the 23-year-old has played for England since Tuchel took charge, after he was unavailable for the international games in March as he recovered from a hamstring injury. The German also indicated the match could present a good opportunity for him to give some minutes one of his back-up goalkeepers, Dean Henderson or James Trafford. Tuchel and the England squad watched the Nations League final on Sunday between Spain and Portugal, with the German admitting the high-quality football played in the final four of that tournament was the 'benchmark' England had to reach. He has every faith in England to achieve the same standards though when it really matters, despite the poor performance against Andorra. 'We will rise to the occasion because it's very different. This will come. It will bring out the very best in us. We shall not develop a complex, because there is no need for it. Everyone is beatable,' he said. Bukayo Saka is set to make his first appearance under Thomas Tuchel (Mike Egerton/PA) 'It is one of the most difficult things to do to play Spain in a final. They play with this natural self-confidence to be on the ball, to pass the ball around and to play through gaps. 'This is what they do. This is what they love. They make you suffer. They make you run behind. 'It takes a lot of time until you have the ball, but I think we have the quality, we have the ability and we have the courage. 'I struggle to say (it) because we were not there (as the coaching team in the Euros final in Germany), but it was 1-1 in the final and Spain scored in the last minute and it was the moment that gave the title to Spain. 'We have what it takes to compete.'
