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Ed Dove
Multiple Authors
UNITED STATES — Out of the ten African teams that qualified for the 2026 World Cup, nine have made it to the knockout stage, representing over 28% of the remaining teams in the tournament from Africa.
As each team has faced their own challenges to reach this point, the question now is which of them can maintain their momentum and advance to the last 16?
Below are my predictions for the nine Round of 32 matchups featuring African teams.
June 28, Inglewood
Prediction: South Africa – INCORRECT!
June 29, Monterrey
Prediction: Morocco – CORRECT!
June 30, Arlington
Prediction: Ivory Coast – INCORRECT!
July 1, Atlanta
Prediction: England – CORRECT!
July 1, Seattle
Prediction: Senegal – INCORRECT! (Close call…)
July 2, Vancouver
Algeria has rebounded well following an initial setback against Argentina, showcasing their technical skills, attacking prowess, and impressive wing play in the tournament’s subsequent matches.
With a greater flair than Switzerland and a more aggressive approach, Algeria should be able to create scoring opportunities effectively. While Switzerland is reliable and performs well in knockout stages, Algeria’s thrilling 3-3 draw with Austria instills confidence that they can compete successfully against mid-tier European teams.
With standout performances from players like Riyad Mahrez, Ibrahim Maza, and Rafik Belghali, I’m betting on Algeria to edge out Switzerland.
Prediction: Algeria
July 3, Arlington
With their historic qualification for the knockout stages, Egypt is eager to advance to the Last 16.
They have shown an impressive attacking flair that has not been seen from the Pharaohs in major tournaments in recent decades.
Mohamed Salah has thrived playing alongside talented teammates, though a minor hamstring injury puts his availability in doubt, which is a significant concern for the North African side.
Australia is tough and will challenge Egypt physically, but the Pharaohs’ technical edge should lead them through.
Prediction: Egypt
July 3, Miami
Cape Verde has captivated audiences throughout the World Cup, finishing their group stage undefeated and impressively knocking out Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, making them the third smallest nation to participate in the tournament.
Vozinha became a sensation after stopping a star-studded Spain in their opening match with seven incredible saves. However, the dream likely ends here against the reigning champions and Lionel Messi in Miami.
Cape Verde will defend valiantly and may pose a counter-attacking threat, but it seems unreasonable to expect them to upset the World Cup favorites… right?
Prediction: Argentina
July 3, Kansas City
The Ghanaian team expressed relief at being drawn against Colombia instead of Portugal for the knockout stage, but is this match-up really in their favor?
Ghana excelled against England, following a clear game plan of aggressive defense and counter-attacking strategy. However, in a more balanced game against Croatia, they appeared vulnerable during transitions despite having more ball possession.
Colombia may mirror Ghana’s last game, possessing speed and technical skill that could challenge them in the final third.
Ghana has the potential to surprise Los Cafeteros, but they need to score first and convert their chances effectively.
Prediction: Colombia