African World Cup Qualifiers: Salah Shines, Morocco Perfect & Nigeria Gamble
African World Cup Qualifiers: Salah Shines, Morocco Perfect & Nigeria Gamble
🌍 QUALIFYING SNAPSHOT: After Matchday 6 of African 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Egypt’s Mohamed Salah leads scorers with 6 goals while Morocco remains perfect with 5 wins :cite[1]:cite[2]. Nigeria sits 4th in shock-filled Group C.
Goal Kings: Africa’s Deadliest Strikers
Top Scorers After Matchday 6:
- Mohamed Salah (Egypt) – 6 goals
- Mohamed Amoura (Algeria) – 5 goals
- Jordan Ayew (Ghana) – 5 goals
- Lassina Traoré (Burkina Faso) – 5 goals
- Trezeguet (Egypt) – 5 goals
Salah’s qualifying campaign began explosively with four goals against Djibouti in Egypt’s 6-0 opening match rout :cite[1]. The Liverpool star has since added crucial strikes against Guinea-Bissau and Ethiopia.
Group C: The Shock Factory
Unexpected Results in Group C:
- Lesotho’s 1-1 draw vs Nigeria in Abuja
- Rwanda’s rain-assisted 2-0 win over South Africa
- Benin’s comeback victory against Nigeria
- Zimbabwe’s last-gasp 1-1 draw (Chirewa 90+3′)
Current Group C Standings:
- 1. South Africa – 13 pts (+5 GD)
- 2. Rwanda – 8 pts (0 GD)
- 3. Benin – 8 pts (-1 GD)
- 4. Nigeria – 7 pts (+1 GD)
- 5. Lesotho – 6 pts (-1 GD)
- 6. Zimbabwe – 4 pts (-4 GD)
By The Numbers: Qualifying Trends
Through 151 matches played :cite[1]:
- Most common scoreline: 1-0 (33 matches)
- Next most frequent: 2-1 and 2-0 (21 each)
- Top blowout: Ivory Coast 9-0 Seychelles
- Average goals per game: 2.44 :cite[5]
- Total attendance: 1,183,398 (7,684 avg) :cite[5]
Group Leaders Setting the Pace
Perfect Records & Strong Contenders:
- Morocco – 5 wins/5 games (Group E)
- Egypt – 5 wins, 1 draw (Group A)
- Ivory Coast – 5 wins, 1 draw (Group F)
- Algeria – 5 wins (Group G)
- Tunisia – 5 wins, 1 draw (Group H)
Morocco’s Atlas Lions have been particularly impressive, conceding just 2 goals in 5 matches while scoring 14 :cite[1]:cite[2]. Their 6-0 demolition of Congo Brazzaville showcased their attacking depth.
Surprise Packages & Struggling Giants
While most top seeds lead their groups, two face uphill battles:
- Nigeria (4th in Group C) – 6 pts behind South Africa
- Mali (4th in Group I) – 6 pts behind Ghana
The Road to North America
With four matchdays remaining (two each in September and October 2025), Africa’s World Cup qualifying race is heating up. While Egypt, Morocco and other group leaders appear destined for the 2026 tournament in USA/Canada/Mexico, the battle for runner-up spots – which could lead to inter-confederation playoffs – remains wide open in several groups :cite[4]:cite[5].
Nigeria’s Super Eagles face must-win situations in their remaining matches against Rwanda and South Africa, while Ghana’s Black Stars – despite leading Group I – will need continued strong performances to fend off challengers Comoros and Madagascar :cite[8].
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How many African teams qualify directly for 2026 World Cup?
A: Nine teams will qualify directly, with one additional team advancing to inter-confederation playoffs :cite[5].
Q: When do qualifiers resume?
A: Matchday 7 occurs in September 2025, with key fixtures including Nigeria vs Rwanda and Morocco vs Niger :cite[4].
Q: Which Premier League players are starring in qualifiers?
A: Beyond Salah, notable performers include Ghana’s Jordan Ayew (Leicester), Algeria’s Rayan Ait-Nouri (Wolves), and Nigeria’s Alex Iwobi (Fulham) :cite[4].
Q: What’s Nigeria’s path to qualification?
A: The Super Eagles must win remaining games and hope for South Africa/Rwanda/Benin to drop points while overcoming a -1 goal difference :cite[2].
