Nations from Africa advancing to the World Cup's round of 32

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A huge replica of the World Cup trophy is seen during the opening ceremony ahead of the 2026 World Cup Group A football match between Mexico and South Africa at the Mexico City Stadium in Mexico City on June 11, 2026. (Photo by Alfredo ESTRELLA / AFP)

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Six of Africa’s 10 representatives at the 2026 FIFA World Cup have secured places in the Round of 32 following the latest round of matches.

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Ghana and Cape Verde became the newest teams to book their spots in the knockout stage after Saturday’s fixtures.

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Despite still having one group match left against Croatia, Ghana progressed after Spain edged Uruguay 1-0, a result that guaranteed the Black Stars a place in the next round.

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Cape Verde also advanced after recording their third consecutive draw of the tournament, a result that saw them finish second in their group behind Spain.

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The two nations join Egypt, Morocco, South Africa and Cote d’Ivoire as the African teams that have already reached the knockout phase of the competition.

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Meanwhile, Tunisia’s campaign has come to an end after they were eliminated from the tournament.

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Senegal, Algeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo still have hopes of progressing but must wait to discover whether their records will be enough to secure qualification as some of the tournament’s best third-placed teams.

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