Okonjo-Iweala hails African teams’ impressive World Cup campaign

World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has lauded the impressive campaign of African nations in the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, expressing pride in their resilience and competitive spirit. Okonjo-Iweala took to her verified X account to share her commendations, celebrating the progress made by several teams.

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So proud of the performance of the African teams at the World Cup! Morocco and Egypt have made it through so far, but Cape Verde was a standout.

She specifically noted Morocco and Egypt for successfully advancing to the next stage of the tournament. However, she reserved special praise for Cape Verde, describing them as the "standout" African side in the competition so far. This recognition highlights Cape Verde's unexpected success and strong performance against established footballing nations.

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DRC, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana also battled. Thanks to all for making us proud. Keeping fingers crossed on further progress!

Beyond the teams that advanced, Okonjo-Iweala also acknowledged the valiant efforts of DR Congo, Ivory Coast, and Ghana, despite their eventual exits from the qualifiers. She stated that these teams "battled bravely throughout the competition," thanking them for making Africa proud. Looking ahead, she expressed a strong sense of optimism for Nigeria's chances, voicing her excitement at the prospect of the Super Eagles returning to the world's biggest football stage.

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Would be exciting if Nigeria makes it through to the next World Cup.