The World Cup 2026 Draw in Washington DC has set the stage for the biggest tournament ever, revealing tough groups for Africa’s nine qualified nations.

The World cup groups are finally out! After weeks of anticipation, the draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico, was held at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

It was a huge event, officially managed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and, interestingly, featuring President Donald Trump.

For the first time ever, we are going to see a massive 48 teams competing for the crown, split into 12 groups of four teams each. This means more African teams, and more drama!

Africa’s Groups: Who Made the Cut?

Nine African teams have already secured their automatic spots, and the draw was hot for them. Nigeria, unfortunately, did not qualify, but let’s look at how the other African giants fared:

Group C: The Star Power Test

Brazil is in this group, but the real star is Morocco. The 2022 semi-finalists will go head-to-head with the Seleção, alongside Haiti and Scotland. This group is going to be electric!

Group E: The German Challenge

Ivory Coast faces a tricky setup. They have been drawn with giants Germany, plus Ecuador and Curaçao. The Ivorians will need to bring their A-game to escape this one.

Group F: Avoiding the Dutch Disaster

Tunisia must tackle a strong Netherlands side, Japan, and the winner of European Play-off B. It is a winnable group, but the Dutch are always a headache.

Group G: The Pharaohs’ Path

Egypt finds itself in Group G with European heavyweights Belgium, Iran, and New Zealand. The Pharaohs will fancy their chances of progressing behind the Belgians.

Group I: The Senegal vs. France Rematch

This is the one we love! Senegal, one of Africa’s top seeds, gets a repeat of the 2002 opening match when they meet France. They are also paired with Norway and an Intercontinental Play-off winner. It is a tough but classic group.

Group L: The Ghana-England Showdown

Ghana lands in a high-stakes group alongside England, Croatia, and Panama. A rematch of the 2018 semi-final between England and Croatia is the highlight, but the Black Stars often rise to the occasion against big teams. A truly spicy group!

Group A & H: Other African Contenders

South Africa joins hosts Mexico and South Korea in Group A, a potentially open group for the Bafana Bafana. Meanwhile, Cape Verde has a mountain to climb against Spain, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay in Group H.

Group J: Desert Foxes Draw

Defending champions Argentina will start their title defence against Algeria in Group J, which also features Austria and Jordan.

The Biggest Groups at a Glance: