Roberto Lopes of Cape Verde celebrates with Vozinha of Cape Verde after the FIFA World Cup Group H match between Spain and Cape Verde at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, United States, on June 15, 2026. NurPhoto via AFP)
African teams endured a mixed start to the FIFA World Cup after the completion of the first round of group matches, conceding 16 goals while scoring seven across 10 fixtures.
The opening round delivered contrasting fortunes for the continent’s representatives, with notable wins, hard-fought draws and heavy defeats shaping the early standings.
The biggest setback came for Tunisia, who suffered a 5–1 defeat to Sweden, while Senegal also fell 3–1 to France. South Africa were beaten 2–0 by Mexico, and Algeria lost 3–0 to Argentina in other disappointing results.
However, there were positive moments for African sides, as Ivory Coast secured a 1–0 win over Ecuador, while Ghana also recorded a narrow 1–0 victory against Panama. Related News Ivory Coast World Cup star Wahi under French police probe for spot-fixing – Report W’Cup: Ghana beat Panama 1-0, Diaz shine in Colombia 3-1 win over Uzbekistan DR Congo hold Portugal for first-ever World Cup point
