Africa’s 2026 World Cup Opponents Revealed As Draw Serves Up Blockbuster Fixtures – Arise News

By Reporter Ben On Dec 6, 2025

Africa’s representatives for the 2026 FIFA World Cup discovered their group-stage opponents on Friday during a lengthy ceremony in Washington, DC, with several nostalgic rematches and high-profile pairings setting the stage for an exciting tournament.

Returning to the World Cup for the first time since they hosted in 2010, South Africa were drawn into Group A and will open the tournament against Mexico on 11 June at the iconic Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.

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The fixture revives memories of the 2010 curtain-raiser in Johannesburg, where Siphiwe Tshabalala scored one of the World Cup’s most iconic openers.

Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos will also lead his side against South Korea and the winners of UEFA Playoff D (Denmark, North Macedonia, Czechia or the Republic of Ireland) as the team targets its first-ever appearance in the knockout stage. Broos’s revitalised squad enter the tournament with renewed confidence after finishing third at the most recent Africa Cup of Nations and advancing from their qualifying group ahead of Nigeria.

Morocco, Africa’s first-ever World Cup semifinalists after their 2022 heroics in Qatar, headline Group C and will begin their campaign with a blockbuster contest against five-time world Champions Brazil on 13 June.

Scotland and Haiti complete the group, and given Morocco’s form and consistency, the Atlas Lions will fancy their chances of progressing to the round of 32.

Their draw prompted audible gasps at the Kennedy Center venue, particularly as it reprises the teams’ 1998 group-stage encounter. Scotland, also in that ’98 group, were beaten 3–0 by Morocco in one of the North Africans’ most memorable World Cup victories.

Senegal are also preparing for a nostalgic fixture after being drawn against 2018 Champions France in Group I. The Teranga Lions famously stunned the then-defending Champions 1–0 in the opening match of the 2002 World Cup, launching a historic run to the quarterfinals.

Their group also includes Norway and the winner of the intercontinental playoff featuring Iraq, Bolivia and Suriname, forming a highly competitive pool for head coach Pape Thiaw’s side.

Africa’s remaining representatives also face a mixture of glamour ties and tough tests in their respective groups:
·Côte d’Ivoire will clash with Germany, Ecuador and Curaçao as they pursue their first-ever knockout qualification.
·Egypt will be optimistic about their chances after drawing Belgium, Iran and New Zealand.
·Algeria face a stern challenge against defending Champions Argentina, Austria and Jordan.
·Tunisia must navigate past the Netherlands, Japan and a European playoff winner (Ukraine, Sweden, Poland or Albania).
·Cape Verde, debutants at the World Cup, have been handed a baptism of fire against Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.
·Ghana, aiming for their first knockout appearance since 2010, will face a difficult path against England, Croatia and Panama.

The Democratic Republic of Congo must first navigate the inter-confederation playoff in March, where they will face Jamaica and New Caledonia. Should they qualify, they would enter Group K, opening their campaign against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal before matches against Uzbekistan and Colombia.

Melissa Enoch