​When four-time World Cup champions Italy failed to qualify for the 2026 tournament, their head coach Gennaro Gattuso lamented Africa’s share of the global showcase, suggesting that the continent had too many automatic qualifying slots. He argued that Africa deserved fewer World Cup berths, pointing to the expansion of the field from 32 to 48 teams and the rising number of automatic spots for Africa—from five up to nine, and later to ten after the Democratic Republic of Congo won an intercontinental playoff and earned a World Cup return after a 52-year absence. Was Gattuso, a midfielder who helped Italy win the 2006 World Cup, right about Africa’s representation in the United States, Canada, and Mexico?
Aside from Tunisia’s disappointing run, which saw them eliminate their coach Sabri Lamouchi after an early exit and defeat in all three group matches, Africa’s flag bearers still proved competitive enough to justify their presence. The 10 participants collectively advanced to the knockout stage in nine instances, five of them as group runners-up, while the remaining four were among the eight best third-placed teams. This equates to a 90% success rate, the highest among FIFA’s regions, followed by South America at 83.33%, Europe at 81.25%, and Asia at 22.22%. In the knockout phase, Europe surged to the forefront with six quarter-finalists; Africa and South America each had one. African teams, however, found the Round of 32 more challenging, with seven eliminated at that stage. Egypt reached the Round of 16, and Morocco became the first African side to reach the quarter-finals twice.
A troubling pattern emerged: late goals were often conceded. Stars like Lionel Messi, Harry Kane, and Erling Haaland benefited from this. Messi equalized after Argentina had trailed Egypt 2-0, before producing a 3-2 victory. Kane struck twice to help England overcome DR Congo, and Haaland scored the decisive goal as Norway defeated Ivory Coast. In another dramatic turn, Senegal saw a two-goal lead slip away in the final minutes against Belgium, eventually losing after extra time. Many Africans had expected Senegal to be among the standout performers of the ten qualifiers, yet they underperformed, losing three of four matches and advancing to the Round of 32 only as the eighth-best third-placed team. In the wake of the Teranga Lions’ exit, rumors of internal discord surfaced. Midfielder Pape Gueye stated he would not represent his country again until coach Pape Thiaw stepped down.
The tournament then delivered a dramatic shift: Egypt led Argentina 2-0, with another goal rightly disallowed, only for a late turnaround to secure a 3-2 win for the eventual champions thanks to Enzo Fernández’s header. Egypt’s coach Hossam Hassan vented that the officiating crew, led by French referee Francois Letexier, might have faced external pressure to favor Argentina. FIFA referees chief Pierluigi Collina responded, underscoring that match officials strive to make fair decisions just as players and coaches strive to perform their best. This India- or global-lens perspective on officiating and competitive balance framed much of the discourse around Africa’s place in a World Cup that remained, as it had historically, a battleground of talent, strategy, and occasionally fraught controversy.