Algeria, Egypt, and Morocco all bolstered their chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but Sudan’s surprising challenge for a spot in the finals suffered a blow as the sixth round of qualifying concluded on Tuesday.
Sudan, who have been forced to play all their home games on neutral grounds due to ongoing civil war, were held to a 1-1 draw by South Sudan after conceding a 98th-minute equaliser, slipping to third place in Group B.
DR Congo moved to the top of the table following a 2-0 win in Mauritania, edging ahead of Senegal and Sudan by a point.
Egypt extended their lead at the top of Group A to five points with a 1-0 victory over Sierra Leone, while Algeria pulled three points clear in Group G, thanks to Mohamed Amoura’s hat-trick in their dominant 5-1 win over Mozambique.
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Morocco, who have maintained a perfect record, extended their lead in Group E to nine points with a 2-0 win over Tanzania, although the group’s standings could change depending on the outcome of Congo-Brazzaville’s suspension from international football.
Only the nine group winners will automatically qualify for the expanded 48-team tournament next year, with the four best second-placed teams battling it out for a spot in an intercontinental playoff that will decide the final World Cup spots for the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Nigeria, after drawing 1-1 at home against Zimbabwe, now find themselves six points behind Group C leaders South Africa and face an uphill battle to secure a spot in the finals.
The final four rounds of group fixtures will take place in September and October, with African playoffs set for November.
Other Results and Key Highlights
In other Tuesday fixtures, Cameroon kept up the pressure on Cape Verde in Group D with a 3-1 win over Libya, thanks to a brace from Vincent Aboubakar and an assist from Bryan Mbeumo. The Indomitable Lions remain one point behind Cape Verde, who had earlier secured a 2-1 win over Angola.
Comoros closed the gap to Ghana in Group I with a 1-0 win over Chad, while Senegal maintained their strong position in Group B with a 2-0 victory over Togo. Pape Matar Sarr and Moussa Niakhate were the scorers for the Lions of Teranga.
Morocco’s perfect record continued as they defeated Tanzania 2-0 in Oujda, with Nayef Aguerd and Brahim Diaz finding the net.
In Group G, Algeria cruised to a 5-1 win over Mozambique. Amoura’s hat-trick, following his double against Botswana, helped seal the victory for the North Africans.
Egypt’s slim 1-0 win over Sierra Leone came thanks to Zizo’s goal in first-half stoppage time, while Mohamed Salah, who is the top scorer in the African qualifiers with six goals, had chances to add to his tally.
The African World Cup qualifiers will continue in the coming months, with teams hoping to secure their place in the 2026 finals.
Tuesday’s African World Cup Qualifying Results:
- Egypt 1-0 Sierra Leone (Group A)
- Sudan 1-1 South Sudan (Group B)
- Mauritania 0-2 DR Congo (Group B)
- Senegal 2-0 Togo (Group B)
- Benin 0-2 South Africa (Group C)
- Nigeria 1-1 Zimbabwe (Group C)
- Rwanda 1-1 Lesotho (Group C)
- Angola 1-2 Cape Verde (Group D)
- Cameroon 3-1 Libya (Group D)
- Morocco 2-0 Tanzania (Group E)
- Burundi 5-0 Seychelles (Group F)
- Botswana 2-0 Somalia (Group G)
- Uganda 1-0 Guinea (Group G)
- Algeria 5-1 Mozambique (Group G)
- Comoros 1-0 Chad (Group I)
