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African teams discover 2026 World Cup group stage opponents
The groups are on display at the end of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Draw at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, USA, 05 December 2025. EPA/WILL OLIVER
Friday Dec 05, 2025. 22:19
The 2026 FIFA World Cup draw was conducted on Friday in Washington, D.C., USA, where Africa’s nine teams discovered their group stage opponents.
The draw, which was held at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, saw teams being divided into 12 groups of four, with 48 sides set to battle it out to be crowned as world champions in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
South Africa, who are returning to the global tournament for the first time since the 2010 edition when they competed as the hosts, will take on Mexico in the opening game of the showpiece on 11 June.
Bafana Bafana will also lock horns with South Korea and the winner of the European Playoff D, which features Denmark, North Macedonia, Czechia, and Ireland.
In Group C, Morocco, who became the first African nation to reach the semi-finals in the 2022 edition in Qatar, have been pitted against five-time World Cup champions Brazil, Haiti and Scotland.
Morocco’s North African rivals will battle it out with three-time World Cup runners-up Netherlands, Japan and European Playoff B winner (Ukraine, Sweden, Poland, Albania) in Group F.
While Africa’s most successful national team, with seven Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) titles, Egypt, are in Group G alongside Belgium, Iran and New Zealand.
The smallest African nation to ever qualify for the World Cup, Cape Verde, find themselves in Group H along with tournament favourites Spain, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay
In Group I, Senegal will renew their rivalry with France, while also taking on Norway and the winner of the FIFA Intercontinental Playoff Tournament 2 (Bolivia, Suriname, Iraq).
Meanwhile, two-time AFCON winners Algeria have been pitted against the defending champions Argentina in Group J, and they will also face Austria, and Jordan, who will be making their debut appearance.
West African giants Ghana will be making their fifth appearance and the are set to square off with 1966 winners England, Croatia and Panama in Group L.
Reigning African champions, Ivory Coast, will square off with former winners, Germany, Curaçao and Ecuador in Group E in what will be the West African side’s fourth participation.
DR Congo will be in Group K if they win the FIFA Intercontinental Playoff Tournament 1 (Jamaica, New Caledonia, DR Congo). Group K features Portugal, Uzbekistan and Colombia.
The World Cup will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
Group A
Mexico
South Africa
South Korea
European Playoff D (Denmark, North Macedonia, Czechia, Ireland)
Group B
Canada
European Playoff A (Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales, Bosnia & Herzegovina)
Qatar
Switzerland
Group C
Brazil
Morocco
Haiti
Scotland
Group D
United States
Paraguay
Australia
European Playoff C (Türkiye, Romania, Slovakia, Kosovo)
Group E
Germany
Curaçao
Ivory Coast
Ecuador
Group F
Netherlands
Japan
European Playoff B (Ukraine, Sweden, Poland, Albania)
Tunisia
Group G
Belgium
Egypt
Iran
New Zealand
Group H
Spain
Cape Verde
Saudi Arabia
Uruguay
Group I
France
Senegal
FIFA Intercontinental Playoff Tournament 2 (Bolivia, Suriname, Iraq)
Norway
Group J
Argentina
Algeria
Austria
Jordan
Group K
Portugal
FIFA Intercontinental Playoff Tournament 1 (Jamaica, New Caledonia, DR Congo)
Uzbekistan
Colombia
Group L
England
Croatia
Ghana
Panama
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