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Special Coverage

Africa at the World Cup 2026

Nine African nations carry a continent's hopes across the United States, Canada and Mexico — full team profiles, squad watch and host-city guides.

Jun 11 – Jul 19, 2026 USA · Canada · Mexico 9 African nations

African Teams in Focus

Morocco football team player

Morocco

Atlas Lions

Group

A

FIFA Rank

#12

Head Coach

Walid Regragui

Star Player

Achraf Hakimi

After their historic 2022 semifinal, Morocco arrives as Africa's clear favorite — disciplined defense, world-class wingers, and a coach who believes deep runs are now the norm.

Follow for match alerts

Senegal football team player

Senegal

Lions of Teranga

Group

B

FIFA Rank

#18

Head Coach

Pape Thiaw

Star Player

Sadio Mané

Reigning African champions in 2022, Senegal blends a Premier League–hardened core with a new generation. Group B places them on a collision course with the host nation.

Follow for match alerts

Egypt football team player

Egypt

The Pharaohs

Group

D

FIFA Rank

#36

Head Coach

Hossam Hassan

Star Player

Mohamed Salah

Back at the World Cup for the first time since 2018 with Salah in his prime — a goal-scoring machine flanked by a rebuilt midfield. Knockout football is firmly within reach.

Follow for match alerts

Côte d'Ivoire football team player

Côte d'Ivoire

The Elephants

Group

C

FIFA Rank

#40

Head Coach

Emerse Faé

Star Player

Sébastien Haller

AFCON 2023 champions on home soil, the Elephants ride a wave of momentum and a fearless young coach. Tactical flexibility makes them a knockout-stage threat.

Follow for match alerts

Nigeria football team player

Nigeria

Super Eagles

Group

E

FIFA Rank

#28

Head Coach

Eric Chelle

Star Player

Victor Osimhen

AFCON 2023 finalists with Africa's most lethal striker leading the line — pace on the wings and a settled spine make Nigeria a dark horse.

Follow for match alerts

Cameroon football team player

Cameroon

Indomitable Lions

Group

F

FIFA Rank

#41

Head Coach

Marc Brys

Star Player

André Onana

Always dangerous on the biggest stage — the Lions return with a world-class goalkeeper and a clutch of Bundesliga and Serie A talent ready to spring an upset.

Follow for match alerts

Algeria football team player

Algeria

Desert Foxes

Group

G

FIFA Rank

#35

Head Coach

Vladimir Petković

Star Player

Riyad Mahrez

Back from a painful 2022 absence with Mahrez orchestrating from the right — a creative, technical side that finally has the platform to translate AFCON pedigree to the world stage.

Follow for match alerts

Players to Watch

One story per team — the player who could decide the tournament for their nation.

Achraf Hakimi — Morocco
Morocco

Achraf Hakimi

Right Back · PSG

Hakimi's overlap is Morocco's most reliable weapon

Inside the tactical mechanism Regragui has built around his captain — and why opposition coaches now plan whole game-plans against one player.

6 min readRead
Sadio Mané — Senegal
Senegal

Sadio Mané

Forward · Captain

One last dance: Mané's quiet leadership of a new generation

At 33, the Lions of Teranga's talisman bridges 2002 dreams and 2026 ambitions. A look at his evolving role behind the scenes.

5 min readRead
Mohamed Salah — Egypt
Egypt

Mohamed Salah

Forward · Liverpool

Salah's last shot at the World Cup he was built for

Eight years after the heartbreak of 2018, Egypt's all-time top scorer returns with a coach who has rebuilt the system around him.

7 min readRead
Sébastien Haller — Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire

Sébastien Haller

Striker · Dortmund

Haller's comeback story enters its biggest chapter

From cancer recovery to AFCON-winning goals, the Elephants' No. 9 carries an emotional weight no other striker can match.

5 min readRead
Victor Osimhen — Nigeria
Nigeria

Victor Osimhen

Striker · Galatasaray

Osimhen wants the World Cup he was robbed of in 2022

Africa's most lethal striker has unfinished business. We break down the runs, the link play and why defenders sleep badly when he's on the team sheet.

6 min readRead
André Onana — Cameroon
Cameroon

André Onana

Goalkeeper · Captain

Onana, vindicated: the keeper who plays like a No. 6

After a stormy 2022 cycle, Cameroon's captain returns as the most ball-progressive goalkeeper in the tournament. A redemption arc in real time.

5 min readRead
Riyad Mahrez — Algeria
Algeria

Riyad Mahrez

Winger · Al-Ahli

Mahrez at 35: the maestro Algeria needed to come home

After missing 2022 in agony, the Premier League legend returns to the World Cup with a Saudi-honed swagger and the keys to Petković's attack.

5 min readRead

Where the Matches Happen

SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles

Los Angeles

SoFi Stadium

Capacity
70,240
Schedule
8 matches incl. Round of 32 & 16
MetLife Stadium in New York / NJ

New York / NJ

MetLife Stadium

Capacity
82,500
Schedule
8 matches incl. the Final
Estadio Azteca in Mexico City

Mexico City

Estadio Azteca

Capacity
87,000
Schedule
5 matches incl. Opening Match
BMO Field in Toronto

Toronto

BMO Field

Capacity
45,500
Schedule
6 matches incl. Group Stage

Match-by-Match Guide

Every fixture that matters in each host city — with a spotlight on African teams in action.

Match Alerts

Follow a team above to get a heads-up 1h before kickoff and at the whistle.

Filters
14 matches

Los Angeles· SoFi Stadium

United States

Arrive by T-90 min

Key areas

  • American Airlines Plaza

    Main entry on the east side — open 4h before kickoff with food trucks and live DJs.

  • Lower Bowl 100s

    Best sightlines but heat-exposed; bring a cap for afternoon kickoffs.

  • YouTube Theater Concourse

    Shortest food queues; vegetarian and halal options near gate 5.

Transport

Metro K Line to Downtown Inglewood + 15-min shuttle. Avoid I-405 within 2h of kickoff — use Crenshaw Blvd instead.

Fan zone

Hollywood Park lake — fan festivals daily 11am–10pm.

Capacity: 70,240

  1. Fri, Jun 19
    12:00 PT
    Côte d'IvoirevsNetherlands
    Group C Côte d'Ivoire

    Haller leads the Elephants into SoFi against a youthful Oranje — a stylistic clash of pace vs. positional play.

    Sébastien Haller

    Star to watch

    Sébastien Haller

  2. Sat, Jun 27
    17:00 PT
    MoroccovsCroatia
    Group A Morocco

    A 2022 World Cup rematch — Morocco settle scores with the team that beat them to bronze, with a Hollywood backdrop.

    Achraf Hakimi

    Star to watch

    Achraf Hakimi

  3. Tue, Jul 7
    16:00 PT
    1Bvs2A
    Round of 16

    A potential Senegal–Morocco continental derby in the knockouts. The bracket math points here.

New York / NJ· MetLife Stadium

United States

Arrive by T-2h

Key areas

  • Toyota Coliseum Plaza

    Pre-match pageantry hub; flag-raising 60 min before kickoff.

  • Mezzanine 200s

    Sweet spot for atmosphere — covered against rain, full pitch view.

  • MetLife North Gate

    Quickest security lane for ticketless meetups; family zone nearby.

Transport

NJ Transit Meadowlands Rail from Secaucus — runs every 10 min on matchdays. Coach USA buses from Port Authority Gate 415.

Fan zone

Liberty State Park fan festival with skyline views of Manhattan.

Capacity: 82,500

  1. Mon, Jun 15
    15:00 ET
    SenegalvsUnited States
    Group B Senegal

    The host nation collide with the African champions — 82,500 seats, deafening atmosphere, a true heavyweight opener.

    Sadio Mané

    Star to watch

    Sadio Mané

  2. Mon, Jun 22
    12:00 ET
    NigeriavsArgentina
    Group E Nigeria

    Osimhen against the world champions — a striker hungry for redemption against Messi's heirs.

    Victor Osimhen

    Star to watch

    Victor Osimhen

  3. Sun, Jul 19
    15:00 ET
    TBDvsTBD
    Final

    The final. An African nation has never lifted the trophy. Could MetLife write history?

Mexico City· Estadio Azteca

Mexico

Arrive by T-2h30

Key areas

  • Puerta 1 — Calzada de Tlalpan

    Iconic mariachi welcome; busiest 90 min before kickoff.

  • Palcos VIP (Level 3)

    Best altitude views — but the rarefied air bites; hydrate early.

  • Sur General — South End

    Loudest section — local ultras; bring earplugs and your voice.

Transport

Metro Línea 2 to General Anaya + 15-min walk, or Línea 12 to Mexicaltzingo. Driving is gridlocked — use ride-share to Anillo Periférico drop-off only.

Fan zone

Zócalo public viewing parties; FIFA Fan Festival on Paseo de la Reforma.

Capacity: 87,000

  1. Thu, Jun 11
    12:00 CT
    MexicovsMorocco
    Opening Match · Group A Morocco

    Morocco open the tournament under the Azteca lights — Hakimi vs. a 90,000-strong home crowd.

    Achraf Hakimi

    Star to watch

    Achraf Hakimi

  2. Wed, Jun 17
    15:00 CT
    EgyptvsUruguay
    Group D Egypt

    Salah's first World Cup goal at altitude — the Pharaohs face a Suárez-led Uruguay in a tactical chess match.

    Mohamed Salah

    Star to watch

    Mohamed Salah

  3. Wed, Jun 24
    18:00 CT
    CameroonvsJapan
    Group F Cameroon

    Onana's distribution against Japan's high press — a midfield duel that could decide group qualification.

    André Onana

    Star to watch

    André Onana

  4. Sun, Jul 5
    16:00 CT
    Winner Group AvsRunner-up Group B
    Round of 16

    If Morocco top Group A, this is their date with destiny in front of a partisan Mexican crowd.

  5. Tue, Jun 30
    20:00 CT
    AlgeriavsColombia
    Group G Algeria

    Mahrez vs. James Rodríguez — two left-footed maestros at high altitude.

    Riyad Mahrez

    Star to watch

    Riyad Mahrez

Toronto· BMO Field

Canada

Arrive by T-75 min

Key areas

  • Princes' Gates Plaza

    Heritage entrance via Exhibition Place; brass band warm-ups 75 min out.

  • South Stand (Supporters' Section)

    Standing-only, banners and tifos; arrive 60 min early to claim space.

  • Lakeside Concourse

    Best food: peameal sandwiches and craft beer; opens 3h before kickoff.

Transport

GO Transit Lakeshore West to Exhibition GO + 5-min walk. TTC streetcar 509/511 from Union Station. Bike valet at Gate 6.

Fan zone

Nathan Phillips Square watch parties; harbourfront FIFA festival.

Capacity: 45,500

  1. Sat, Jun 13
    15:00 ET
    CanadavsSenegal
    Group B Senegal

    A second host meets Senegal — Davies vs. Mané on the wings, a tactician's dream.

    Sadio Mané

    Star to watch

    Sadio Mané

  2. Sat, Jun 20
    18:00 ET
    CameroonvsSwitzerland
    Group F Cameroon

    Onana facing his former Ajax teammates in a Swiss side built on pressing — must-win for the Indomitable Lions.

    André Onana

    Star to watch

    André Onana

  3. Fri, Jun 26
    15:00 ET
    EgyptvsSouth Korea
    Group D Egypt

    Salah vs. Son Heung-min — a Premier League marquee match-up that decides who advances.

    Mohamed Salah

    Star to watch

    Mohamed Salah