Africa’s representation in the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues to grow, with Côte d’Ivoire becoming the third team from the continent to secure a place in the Round of 32.
The Elephants booked their qualification with a convincing 2-0 victory over Curaçao on Thursday night, thanks to a brace from Nicolas Pépé in a must-win Group E encounter.
The victory saw Côte d’Ivoire finish second in the group behind Germany, setting up a Round of 32 clash against the runners-up of Group I.
They join Morocco and South Africa, who had already confirmed their places in the knockout phase.
South Africa advanced after edging South Korea 1-0, while Morocco sealed qualification with an entertaining 4-2 victory over Haiti.
With three African nations already through, the continent remains well represented in the competition as the remaining group-stage matches determine the final knockout lineup.
Tunisia is currently the only African country to have been eliminated from the tournament, while several other teams are still battling for qualification in their final group matches.
