The sixth round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup African qualifiers saw significant developments as Algeria, Egypt, and Morocco strengthened their positions, while Sudan’s hopes suffered a blow. Here are the key highlights from Tuesday’s matches:
Sudan’s Setback: Sudan, who have been forced to play home games on neutral grounds due to ongoing civil war, were held to a 1-1 draw by South Sudan. The Sudanese were close to securing a win but conceded a 98th-minute equalizer. This result left them in third place in Group B, behind DR Congo and Senegal, who both picked up victories.
DR Congo’s Victory: DR Congo topped Group B after a 2-0 win in Mauritania, with goals from Charles Pickel and Fiston Mayele.
Egypt Extend Lead: Egypt, led by Mohamed Salah, defeated Sierra Leone 1-0, with Zizo scoring the only goal in stoppage time during the first half. This result increased Egypt’s lead in Group A to five points.
Algeria’s Dominant Performance: Algeria thrashed Mozambique 5-1 with Mohamed Amoura scoring a hat-trick. Amoura, who had already netted twice against Botswana earlier in the week, was instrumental in Algeria’s commanding victory, extending their lead in Group G to three points.
Morocco Maintain Perfect Record: Morocco remained the only team with a perfect record in the African qualifiers, beating Tanzania 2-0. Nayef Aguerd and Brahim Diaz scored the goals for the Atlas Lions in Group E.
Cameroon Stay Close Behind Cape Verde: In Group D, Cameroon claimed a 3-1 victory over Libya. Captain Vincent Aboubakar scored twice, and Bryan Mbeumo also got on the scoresheet. Despite this win, Cameroon remains one point behind Cape Verde, who triumphed 2-1 in Angola.
Nigeria’s Struggles: Nigeria drew 1-1 with Zimbabwe at home, leaving them six points adrift of Group C leaders South Africa.
Other Key Results:
- Senegal secured a 2-0 win over Togo.
- Burundi comfortably defeated Seychelles 5-0 in Group F.
- Comoros won 1-0 against Chad in Group I.
- Uganda edged Guinea 1-0 in Group G.
With just a few rounds remaining, the race for the World Cup spots is heating up. The top nine group winners will automatically qualify for the 2026 tournament, with the four best second-placed teams competing for the remaining spots.