Africa’s Record Presence Meets Kansas: World Cup 2026 Comes Close to Home.
Africa will have 10 teams competing in the 2026 FIFA World cup, hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This is the continent's largest representation in tournament history. This milestone follows FIFA’s expansion to 48 teams, creating greater opportunities for African nations to showcase their talent on the world’s biggest stage.
Africa’s 10 Qualified Teams
The continent’s representatives will compete across a wide range of groups:
- Algeria – Group J (Argentina, Jordan, Austria)
- Cape Verde – Group H (Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia)
- DR Congo – Group K (Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan)
- Côte d’Ivoire – Group E (Ecuador, Germany, Curaçao)
- Egypt – Group G (Belgium, New Zealand, Iran)
- Ghana – Group L (Panama, England, Croatia)
- Morocco – Group C (Brazil, Scotland, Haiti)
- Senegal – Group I (France, Norway, Iraq)
- South Africa – Group A (Mexico, Czechia, Korea Republic)
Tunisia – Group F (Sweden, Japan, Netherlands)
Notably, Haiti will also compete in Group C, joining Brazil, Scotland, and Morocco.
The global reach of the World Cup will extend all the way to Lawrence, Kansas, where the University of Kansas will host Algeria’s national team. The team is set to train at Rock Chalk Park, one of KU’s premier athletic facilities, bringing international football energy to Jayhawk territory. Kansas City has emerged as one of the most sought-after U.S. regions for World Cup preparation, with all four available training sites already claimed highlighting the area’s growing importance in global sports.