BIR EL DJIR, Algeria (News Wires) —Algeria has sealed their ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, becoming the fourth African nation to qualify — and completing an all–North African lineup on football’s biggest stage.
For the Desert Foxes, it’s a return to familiar territory. The 2026 campaign will mark their fifth appearance at the finals, following past showings in 1982, 1986, 2010, and 2014. This time, they’ll march alongside regional powerhouses Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia — a quartet that has turned North Africa into a stronghold of African football.
The upcoming tournament, to be staged across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, promises to be historic. For the first time, the World Cup will feature 48 teams, offering a broader stage for the global game.
Under the new format, nine African group winners qualify directly, while the four best runners-up will battle it out in continental play-offs for a chance at one final intercontinental spot.
With 20 teams already confirmed — including hosts USA, Canada, and Mexico, plus South American giants Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay — the road to 2026 is heating up, and North Africa is leading the charge.
A 3-0 win over Somalia guaranteed Algeria first place in Group G in African qualifying and a return to the World Cup for the first time since 2014.
The foxes, captained by Riyad Mahrez and led by former Switzerland coach Vladimir Petkovic, joined neighbouring nations Morocco and Tunisia as well as Mohamed Salah’s Egypt in securing a spot in next year´s expanded 48-team tournament being held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
It will be the fifth time for the Algerians at the World Cup – and they´ve only ever progressed from the group stage once, in 2014 when they lost to Germany in the round of 16.
A total of nine African teams will directly qualify and be in the World Cup tournament draw taking place on Dec. 5 in Washington D.C.
The other five group winners will be known over the next week. The four best runners-up play in a knockout competition in November and the winner advances to the playoffs.
Despite being a home game for Somalia, it was staged at the Miloud Hadefi Olympic Complex in Algeria and the fans were treated to a show by Mahrez – the team´s star winger who used to play for Manchester City and now is at Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia.
The 34-year-old Mahrez set up goals for Mohamed Amoura in the sixth and 58th minutes, either side of scoring himself with a fierce strike into the roof of the net in the 19th.
Mahrez started his international career weeks before the 2014 World Cup and was included in Algeria’s squad for the tournament, only playing in its first group game.
All the African teams heading to the World Cup will look to repeat the exploits of Morocco, which became the first team from the continent to reach the semifinals in the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
Elsewhere in Group G, Uganda took a major step toward securing second place with a 1-0 away win over Botswana in Francistown, courtesy of Jude Ssemugabi’s header, while third-placed Mozambique succumbed 1-2 at home to Guinea. Abdoul Karim Traore netted both goals for the Syli National.
In a lone Group H match played in Monrovia, Liberia cut Namibia’s lead in the race for second place (behind already-qualified Tunisia) to one point with a 3-1 win over the Brave Warriors: Ayouba Kosiah, Mamadu Bah and Edward Ledlum scored for the hosts at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sport Complex.
In the only afternoon match, Kenya defeated East African rivals Burundi 1-0 at the Intwari Stadium in Bujumbura. The Swallows had Bonfils Bimenyimana sent off early on, and the Harambee Stars claimed victory courtesy of a second-half strike from Ryan Ogam – rising to third place in Group F.
A scheduled Group H match between Malawi and Equatorial Guinea at the Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe was postponed.
