Overview

• Africa is set to have a record nine to ten teams qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, thanks to the tournament's expanded 48-team format.
• The African qualifiers, currently in gameweek five of nine, feature nine groups, with winners advancing directly and top runners-up entering playoffs.
• Group E faces challenges due to Eritrea's withdrawal and Congo-Brazzaville's suspension, reducing the group to four teams and creating competitive imbalances.
• Equatorial Guinea's results were overturned early in the campaign due to player ineligibility but have been reinstated following a nationality switch for Emilio Nsue.
• Smaller nations like Rwanda, Sudan, and Comoros are emerging as potential first-time qualifiers, reflecting the expanded opportunities in the new format.