As the expanded 48-team 2026 FIFA World Cup reaches its end with Sunday’s final between Argentina and Spain, Africa leaves North America with mixed emotions.
There were moments of brilliance, memorable upsets, and evidence that the continent continues to close the gap on football’s traditional powers.
But there was also heartbreak, as lead bottling denied African teams what could have been their deepest collective run at a World Cup.
For the first time, 10 African nations qualified, the second most represented continent at the tournament.
Nine reached the knockout stage, yet only one progressed to the quarter-finals.
