Cape Verde, after their historic feat, will square up against reigning champions Argentina in the next stage of the competition.
By Kehinde Okeowo
The tiny West African island nation of Cape Verde and Ghana have become the latest African countries to confirm their spots in the knockout stages of the 2026 World Cup, following the completion of several third-round fixtures on Saturday.
This means six of the 10 African countries at this year’s tournament have qualified for the Round of 32.
For Cape Verde, their third consecutive draw at the tournament—a hard-fought 0–0 against Saudi Arabia—ensured they finished in second place behind Spain.
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With this feat, they will square up against reigning champions Argentina in the next stage of the competition.
Although the Black Stars of Ghana are yet to play their final group game against Croatia, Spain’s 1-0 win over Uruguay means they are already through.
They both join Egypt, Morocco, South Africa, and Côte d’Ivoire in the knockout rounds.
Meanwhile, Tunisia has officially been eliminated, while Senegal, Algeria, and the DR Congo face a tense wait to see if they will qualify as one of the best third-placed teams.
