Egypt, Cape Verde, and Ghana Vie for World Cup Round of 16 Spots

Three African nations are set to compete in pivotal 2026 FIFA World Cup matches on Friday, aiming to join Morocco in the tournament’s Round of 16.

Morocco currently stands as the sole African representative to have secured a place in the knockout stages, following a hard-fought penalty shootout victory over the Netherlands. While Africa sent a record 10 teams to this year’s expanded tournament with nine successfully advancing past the group phase Friday’s fixtures will be decisive in determining whether the continent expands its presence in the competition.

The Pharaohs of Egypt will lead the day’s action, facing Australia at the Dallas Stadium. A win would mark one of Egypt’s most significant achievements in the tournament’s history.

Following the match in Dallas, the spotlight will turn to Miami, where Cape Verde faces a formidable test against Argentina. The island nation, which has become one of the tournament’s surprise success stories, will challenge a star-studded Argentine side for a spot in the next round.

The final fixture featuring an African team will see the Black Stars of Ghana take on an in-form Colombia in Kansas City. Ghana enters the match looking to maintain Africa’s momentum and progress further into the tournament.

As the World Cup progresses, the outcome of these matches will indicate how many African nations remain in contention to potentially match or exceed the performance of the Atlas Lions in the ongoing knockout phase.