Nine of ten African teams advance in expanded World Cup; Asia struggles

The expanded 48-team format of the 2026 World Cup has significantly benefited African football, with nine of the ten nations representing the continent successfully advancing to the knockout stages. This marks a substantial increase in representation and success for African teams on the global stage.

European teams also demonstrated strong performance, with 13 out of the 16 participating nations securing spots in the knockout round. Similarly, South America saw five of its six teams progress, indicating the continued strength of footballing powerhouses from these regions.

In contrast, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) experienced a challenging tournament. Only two of the nine Asian teams managed to advance, making Asia the biggest loser in terms of qualification success under the new expanded format.

While Ghana's advancement was anticipated, the overall success rate for African teams highlights the growing competitiveness and depth of talent across the continent. The increased number of slots appears to have been fully justified by the performance of these nations.