Mohamed Salah and Achraf Hakimi, prominent figures in African football, seem poised to compete in the 2026 World Cup, with both Egypt and Morocco holding strong advantages in their respective qualification groups.
Nevertheless, current CAF Footballer of the Year Ademola Lookman and his compatriot Nigerian Victor Osimhen are battling to secure their places in the upcoming 48-nation worldwide tournament.
Drawing inspiration from Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi, Morocco leads Group E with a nine-point advantage over Niger, which is the largest gap within the nine groups.
The Liverpool player Salah has netted six goals in six qualifying matches, leading Egypt to secure the top spot in Group A, ahead of Burkina Faso by five points.
As the competition continues with four more rounds scheduled for September and October, dramatic upsets would be required to prevent Egypt and Morocco from securing one of the automatic berths as part of the nine African teams qualifying for the event in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The nine teams that finish first in their groups have secured their spots, while the victors from a smaller competition among the top-four second-place teams will compete for additional final berths through cross-continent playoff matches.
Nigeria ranks fourth in Group C after securing victory in just one out of their six games.
AFP Sports examines every group as the battle for qualification heats up.
Group A
Salah and Mahmoud Trezeghet have accounted for 11 out of 14 goals as Egypt appears poised to secure their third qualification. The nation was invited to participate in the 1934 World Cup, later securing spots in both the 1990 and 2018 championships.
Compared to their performance in World Cup qualifiers, Egypt has had more success in AFCON qualifying rounds, having won the Africa Cup of Nations a record seven times.
Group B
The leaders from the Democratic Republic of Congo, runner-up Senegal, and third-place Sudan are locked in a tight competition for first place, with only one point distinguishing their positions.
The Congolese are yet to face their two opponents. In the meantime, this situation might put Sudan at a disadvantage; being from a nation devastated by civil war, having three out of four matches played away from home presents significant challenges.
Group C
If South Africa is penalized by FIFA for playing ineligible player Teboho Mokoena during their recent victory against Lesotho, their current five-point advantage might be reduced to merely one point.
As South Africa contemplates the potential shift from a 2-0 win to a 3-0 defeat, they maintain that Lesotho failed to submit their formal complaint within the required 24 hours after the match.
Group D
Cape Verde leads Cameroon by just one point, with Cameroon set to travel to Praia in September.
Should the unexpected team referred to as the Blue Sharks manage to secure victory against Mauritius, followed by defeating the eight-time World Cup qualifying veterans Cameroon on their home turf, they would position themselves for a groundbreaking first appearance in history.
Group E
The timing of Morocco’s qualification seems more uncertain than whether they will qualify at all, as the North African nation’s representatives exhibit far superior skill compared to their competitors from Niger, Tanzania, and Zambia.
If Congo’s suspension for governmental intervention turns into disqualification, Morocco only needs one point from their next two games. However, should Congo be reinstated, Morocco would require four points from their remaining three matches.
Group F
A single point separates African champions Ivory Coast from Gabon, led by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, in their competition to top the group; they will face each other in September in Franceville.
The nation that comes in second place is expected to have another opportunity to secure qualification by ranking within the top four of the secondary positions.
Group G
Apart from a single setback—a defeat at home against Guinea—Algeria has thrived under the guidance of their Bosnian coach, Vladimir Petkovic.
So far, Mozambique has been the standout team among the also-rans and they remain in contention for one of the four playoff spots.
Group H
It’s difficult to picture Tunisia failing to secure first place and qualify for the seventh time, yet all eyes are on fourth-ranked Equatorial Guinea.
After FIFA overturned the ban on their key striker Emilio Nsue, the Equatorial Guinean team is pushing for the reinstatement of the six points they lost due to victories against Namibia and Liberia. This adjustment would elevate them to the second position.
Group I
Ghana bounced back from their surprising elimination for the 2025 AFCON by securing victories in five qualifier matches, which has put them ahead of Comoros with a three-point advantage.
The top-seeded Mali team showed significant improvement under the guidance of their Belgian coach, Tom Saintfiet. However, they unexpectedly drew with the Central African Republic recently, placing them six points behind.
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