Five African nations have officially discovered their Round of 32 knockout matchups at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while the remaining continents representatives await final group stage results to lock in their specific opponents.As the expanded 48-team format reaches its first single-elimination stage, African teams have turned in historic performances across the United States, Canada, and Mexico to keep their global ambitions alive.Tunisia is the only eliminated team out of the ten qualified African teams.Confirmed Round of 32 matchupsFive teams from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) have entirely completed their group schedules and have fixed opponents and venue assignments:
- South Africa vs. Canada: Bafana Bafana secured second place in Group A and will open the knockout stage against co-hosts Canada on Sunday, June 28, at the Los Angeles Stadium. Morocco vs. Netherlands: Following a second-place finish behind Brazil in Group C, Morocco will battle the dangerous Netherlands squad on Monday, June 29, at Estadio Monterrey. Ivory Coast vs. Norway: The Elephants clinched the runner-up slot in Group E and are scheduled to meet Norway on Tuesday, June 30, at Dallas Stadium. Egypt vs. Australia: A 1-1 draw against Iran ensured Egypt advanced as Group G runners-up. They will line up against Australia on Friday, July 3, at Dallas Stadium. Cape Verde vs. Argentina: The Blue Sharks pulled off an iconic group phase to finish second in Group H. They have earned a blockbuster clash against reigning world champions Argentina on Friday, July 3, at Miami Stadium.
Permutations and floating knockout tiesFor the remaining African sides, the Round of 32 landscape remains fluid as Groups J, K, and L wrap up final matches on Saturday.
- Senegal: The Teranga Lions advanced as one of the best third-placed finishers out of Group I following a definitive 5-0 victory over Iraq. Because third-place pairings depend on the final combination of advancing groups, Senegal’s provisional schedule positions them to play either the winners of Group L (potentially England or Ghana) or Group K (potentially Colombia or Portugal). Ghana: The Black Stars have mathematically qualified for the next round with four points but their exact ranking hangs on Saturday’s match against Croatia. If Ghana wins Group L, they could potentially play fellow Africans Senegal or a third-placed team from Groups E, H, I, J, or K. A second-place finish maps them against the runners-up of Group K (Portugal or Colombia) in Toronto. Algeria: Currently battling through Group J, the Desert Foxes face a high-stakes finish. A second-place finish in Group J automatically draws a formidable matchup against Group H winners Spain on July 2 in Los Angeles.