Africa satisfied with World Cup showing despite no final four finish

Africa can look back on the 2026 World Cup with satisfaction, despite no teams reaching the final four. The continent saw nine of its ten participating nations advance past the group stage, a significant achievement in the expanded 48-team format.

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Elimination was a failure. We had the quality to go further. We didn't.

Morocco, considered a potential contender, reached the quarterfinals, falling to France. Egypt was the next best performer, winning a World Cup match for the first time and advancing to the round of 16. They came close to a major upset, leading Argentina 2-0 with 11 minutes remaining before a controversial VAR decision led to a 3-2 loss.

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A competition of this level demands deep introspection. Not just a superficial review, but honest, rigorous scrutiny of everything that was done... uncomfortable truths are often the ones that drive the most progress.

Several other African teams, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, and Senegal, let crucial leads slip in the knockout stages. Senegal, despite a strong squad, faltered early after losing their opening two games. Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy acknowledged the team's failure to advance further, stating, "Elimination was a failure. We had the quality to go further. We didn't."

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All those people, everyone was so happy.

However, the tournament also featured a fairytale run from tiny Cape Verde. Their 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha became a fan favorite as the team twice came from behind to force extra time against Argentina in the last 32, ultimately losing 3-2. The squad was celebrated as heroes upon their return to the archipelago, with fans expressing joy over their performance.

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They told us we hadn't really lost; sure, we'd been eliminated, but what we'd shown against Argentina fe