A record 10 African teams have qualified for this year’s expanded FIFA World Cup, marking a major milestone for the continent’s growing football talent.
Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, and Ghana are among those due to compete, as are Africa Cup of Nations finalists Morocco and Senegal.
Meanwhile, some emerging teams will also be seen on the international stage, such as the small archipelago of Cabo Verde, and most notably, DR Congo, which won its knockout round against Italy in a stunning match on Wednesday. The win marked the first time the country has qualified in 52 years.
FIFA’s expanded tournament — which now features 48 teams, up from 32 — follows years of pressure to shift power away from dominant European teams. FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who pushed for the expansion, said at the time of the vote: “Football is more than just Europe and South America; football is global.”