The African 2026 World Cup qualifiers saw a series of upsets on Thursday, with Benin, Cape Verde, Gabon, and Mozambique all securing victories that propelled them to the top of their respective groups. The results shake up the qualifying picture as the campaign nears its halfway point.
Cape Verde Top Group D, Mozambique Lead Group G
Cape Verde Islands took control of Group D with a 1-0 home win over Mauritius, courtesy of a late Yannick Semedo goal. They now have 10 points, one ahead of Cameroon (9).
Mozambique secured a comfortable 3-1 victory over Uganda in a match played in Cairo. Two goalkeeping errors from Ismail Watenga and the first-half sending off of Denis Omedi contributed to Uganda’s downfall. Mozambique’s four wins from five matches put them three points clear of group favorites Algeria, who play Botswana away on Friday.
Benin Held After Leading; Gabon, Namibia Win
Benin, despite letting a two-goal lead slip, moved to the top of Group C. Steve Mounie and Francisco Doku put Benin ahead, but Marshall Munetsi pulled one back before veteran striker Knowledge Musona equalized in the 59th minute. Musona almost won it late, but was denied by Benin goalkeeper, Marcel Dandjinou. The match was played in Durban, South Africa, as Zimbabwe’s stadiums do not meet required standards. Nearest challengers Rwanda and South Africa both play on Friday.
Gabon lead Group F after a convincing 3-0 home win over Seychelles, with Denis Bouanga scoring twice.
Namibia maintained pressure on Group H leaders Tunisia with a 1-0 away win over Malawi, thanks to a first-half goal from Prins Tjiuezu. Tunisia, who won in Liberia on Wednesday, lead by two points.
Kenya Snatch Late Draw; Sierra Leone Win
Kenya secured a dramatic 3-3 draw away against Gambia in Abidjan, with new cap William Wilson scoring a last-gasp equalizer. It was new coach Benni McCarthy’s first game.
Sierra Leone, under new coach Mohamed Kallon, claimed their first win of the qualifiers, defeating Guinea-Bissau 3-1 in Monrovia, Liberia. Both Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau now have five points, trailing Group A leaders Egypt (10 points).
Qualifying Format
Eleven more qualifiers are scheduled across Africa on Friday. The winners of each of the nine groups will qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup in North America. The four best group runners-up will participate in a playoff to determine a single entrant for an inter-continental playoff.
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