International Football
Fact File on the 10 African teams in World Cup playoff
The current top nine ranked African teams all made it to the World Cup playoff scheduled for March next year. The only team among the qualifiers not ranked among top 10 is DR Congo.
The qualified teams are: Nigeria, Algeria, Cameroon, Morocco, Egypt, DR Congo, Ghana, Mali, Senegal and Tunisia who all won their respective groups to reach the final qualifying playoff phase for the 2022 World Cup.
Subsequently, the 10 teams will be divided into 2 pots based on their FIFA ranking and a draw will be conducted for the home and away matches that will produce five final qualifiers.
Sports Village Square presents a fact file on the 10 gladiators. The teams are presented in the current FIFA ranking order.
Senegal
FIFA ranking: 20
Coach: Aliou Cisse
Captain: Kalidou Koulibaly
Key players: Sadio Mane, Ismaila Sarr and Idrissa Gana Gueye.
Group H: Played=6, Won=5, Drew=1, Lost=0, Goals For=15, Goals Against=4, Points=16
Previous World Cup participations: 2 (2002 and 2018)
Tunisia
FIFA ranking: 27
Coach: Mondher Kebair
Captain: Wahbi Khazri
Key players: Wahbi Khazri, Ferjani Sassi and Ali Maaloul.
Group B: Played=6, Won=4, Drew=1, Lost=1, Goals For=11, Goals Against=2, Points=13
Previous World Cup participations: 5 (1978, 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2018)
Morocco
FIFA ranking: 29
Coach: Vahid Halilhodzic
Captain: Romain Saiss
Key players: Youssef En-Nesyri, Munir El Haddadi and Achraf Hakimi.
Group I: Played=6, Won=6, Drew=0, Lost=0, Goals For=20, Goals Against=1, Points=18
Previous World Cup participations: 5 (1970, 1986, 1994, 1998 and 2018)
Algeria
FIFA ranking: 30
Coach: Djamel Belmadi
Captain: Riyad Mahrez
Key players: Riyad Mahrez, Islam Slimani and Sofiane Feghouli.
Group A: Played=6, Won=4, Drew=2, Lost=0, Goals For=25, Goals Against=4, Points=14
Previous World Cup participations: 4 (1982, 1986, 2010, 2014)
Nigeria
FIFA ranking: 36
Coach: Gernot Rohr
Captain: Ahmed Musa
Key players: Victor Osimhen, Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi.
Group C: Played=6, Won=4, Drew=1, Lost=1, Goals For=9, Goals Against=3, Points=13
Previous World Cup participations: 6 (1994, 1998, 2002, 2010, 2014 and 2018)
Egypt
Fifa ranking: 44
Coach: Carlos Queiroz
Captain: Mohamed Salah
Key players: Mohamed Salah, Mohamed Elneny, Ahmed Hegazi, Mohamed El Shennawi
Group F: Played=6, Won=4, Drew=2, Lost=0, Goals For=10, Goals Against=4, Points=14
Previous World Cup participations: 3 (1934, 1990, 2018)
Ghana
FIFA ranking: 52
Coach: Milovan Rajevac
Captain: Andrew Ayew
Key players: Andrew Ayew, Jordan Ayew, Thomas Partey
Group G: Played=6, Won=4, Drew=1, Lost=1, Goals For=7, Goals Against=3, Points=13
Previous World Cup participations: 3 (2006, 2010, 2014)
Cameroon
FIFA ranking: 54
Coach: Toni Conceicao
Captain: Eric Choupo-Moting
Key players: Eric Choupo-Moting, Karl Ekambi and Andre Onana
Group D: Played=6, Won=5, Drew=0, Lost=1, Goals For=12, Goals Against=3, Points=15
Previous World Cup participations: 7 (1982, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2010 and 2014)
Mali
FIFA ranking: 57
Coach: Mohamed Magassouba
Captain: Molla Wague
Key players: Kalifa Coulibaly, Moussa Djenepo and Amadou Haidara.
Group E: Played=6, Won=5, Drew=1, Lost=0, Goals For=11, Goals Against=0, Points=16
Previous World Cup participations: None
DR Congo
FIFA ranking: 67
Coach: Hector Cuper
Captain: Dieumerci Mbokani
Key players: Dieumerci Mbokani, Ben Malango, Yannick Bolasie
Group J: Played=6, Won=3, Drew=2, Lost=1, Goals For=9, Goals Against=3, Points=11
Previous World Cup participations: 1 (1974)
Brazil will round off their 2025 calendar with two friendly matches in Europe next month, taking on Senegal and Tunisia as part of their preparations for the 2026 World Cup, the Brazilian FA (CBF) announced on Thursday.
The five-time world champions, managed by Carlo Ancelotti, will face Senegal on November 15 at Emirates Stadium in London and, three days later, they will meet Tunisia in Lille, France.
The CBF announced that these fixtures were designed to “provide the team with valuable experience against African opposition” ahead of next year’s tournament in North America.
After the conclusion of the South American qualifiers, the choice of opponents follows October’s encounters against Asian teams, which saw Brazil beat South Korea 5-0 but suffer a stunning first defeat to Japan.
With coach Ancelotti facing limited preparation time after arriving in May from Real Madrid, the matches form part of a broader plan to expose Brazil to a variety of playing styles in preparation for next year’s the World Cup.
Looking ahead to March 2026, the CBF has indicated that Brazil’s next set of friendlies will likely be against top-level European nations, with the U.S. as the expected venue.
Ancelotti has been steadily implementing his vision for the squad and has emphasised the importance of adapting to diverse tactical challenges, particularly against teams from other continents.
CBF sources indicated that the plan for the three remaining international breaks would be to make final observations regarding players and tactical adjustments in November, lock in the starting line-up in March and strengthen ties with Brazilian fans with a final friendly at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana before departing for the tournament.
The upcoming friendlies against Senegal and Tunisia will provide an opportunity to test Brazil’s readiness against two of Africa’s strongest sides.
Senegal boast a formidable squad featuring Sadio Mane, Nicolas Jackson and Kalidou Koulibaly. They shocked Brazil 4-2 in their last encounter, a friendly played in Lisbon two years ago.
Tunisia, meanwhile, are known for their defensive organisation and have consistently performed well in African competitions.
Back in September they were the second African team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup with two games to spare.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Well-travelled Portuguese coach Paulo Duarte has been named as Guinea’s new coach, less than a month before their next round of World Cup qualifiers.
Duarte, 56, has twice previously coached Burkina Faso and taken charge of Gabon and Togo, while also coaching at clubs in Portugal, France, Tunisia, Angola and Saudi Arabia.
Guinea’s football federation gave no contract details when they made the announcement on Monday, but said they would be looking for Duarte to “restructure their national team”.
Guinea trail leaders Algeria by eight points in their World Cup qualifying group with four games remaining, leaving them with only a slim chance of qualification.
They play Somalia away on September 5 and then Algeria at home on September 8 in their next two qualifiers although a stadium ban means Guinea have moved their home game to Casablanca, Morocco.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Veteran coach Louis van Gaal says he has been cured of cancer and is keen for a return to the higher levels of the game.
The 73-year-old announced three years ago that he was suffering from prostate cancer, but told a Dutch television talk show, “I’m no longer bothered by cancer.”
When he announced his illness, Van Gaal was the coach of the Dutch national team, but he has not worked since the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
“Two years ago, I had a few operations. It was all bad then. But it all worked out in the end. I have check-ups every few months, and that’s going well. I’m getting fitter and fitter,” he said.
Van Gaal, whose career has included stints at Ajax Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester United, reiterated a lack of interest in returning to club management but said becoming the national coach of a top-tier country could tempt him back.
He now serves as a special advisor to Ajax.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
- World Cup1 week ago
CAF Rule Change May Boost Nigeria’s World Cup Qualification Hopes
- World Cup5 days ago
Victor Osimhen qualifies South Africa for World Cup as Super Eagles go for Play-Off
- World Cup1 week ago
BREAKING! Lookman Suspended for Crucial Benin Clash
- World Cup1 week ago
Judgment Day Beckons in Group C: Only One Ticket, Three Contenders, Infinite Drama
- FIFA RANKING2 days ago
Nigeria Jumps Four Places in New FIFA Rankings; Stirs Optimism in Local Football Circles
- World Cup1 week ago
Super Eagles Stranded in Angola After Aircraft Suffers Cracked Windscreen
- World Cup1 week ago
Akor Adams Becomes Nigeria’s 61st Scoring Debutant
- Nigerian Football1 week ago
GTI Assets Champions Football Investment as Catalyst for National Development