Dakar: Ivory Coast and Senegal have clinched Africa's last two automatic qualifying positions for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, following their decisive victories on Tuesday.
According to BBC, Senegal secured a commanding 4-0 victory at home against Mauritania to finish at the top of Group B. The match saw Sadio Mane's free-kick breaking the deadlock just before half-time. Mane, a former Liverpool star, doubled his tally, followed by a remarkable solo goal from Iliman Ndiaye. Habib Diallo completed the scoring in the closing stages of the game. This victory allowed Senegal, the current continental champions, to edge out Gabon by a single point. Gabon managed a 2-0 win against Burundi in Franceville, thanks to late goals by Bryan Meyo and Mario Lemina.
Meanwhile, Ivory Coast marked their return to the World Cup finals for the first time since 2014. They achieved this feat by completing their 10-game group campaign without conceding a single goal, a defensive record matched only by Tunisia on the continent. Both nations, along with Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Ghana, Cape Verde, and South Africa, have secured their spots for next year's tournament.
Additionally, one more African team may join this lineup. The winner of next month's continental play-offs could advance, provided they succeed in an inter-confederation tournament scheduled for March next year. The contenders for Africa's 10th spot at the expanded 48-team World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States include Cameroon, DR Congo, Gabon, and Nigeria. These teams emerged as the four best-ranked second-placed sides across the nine groups. However, the Confederation of African Football has yet to announce the date for the play-off draw.