The African continent will have ten nations competing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup following DR Congo’s qualification. DR Congo made it after beating Jamaica 1-0 in the Play-Off tournament final match on Tuesday at the Estadio Guadalajara in Zapopan, Mexico. Axel Tuanzebe will long live in DR Congo football lore as his extra-time goal against the Reggae Boyz delivered the Leopards their first FIFA World Cup qualification since 1974. The defender escaped his marker on a corner kick in…

The final chance for a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 has come for African side DR Congo, Bolivia, Jamaica, Iraq, New Caledonia and Suriname. The FIFA World Cup 2026 Play-Off Tournament begins on 26 March, and six teams, including DR Congo, will be vying for two berths to the global finals. World Cup 2026 venues Guadalajara Stadium and Monterrey Stadium will be the setting for the matches, beginning with the semi-finals on 26 March and the finals on…

World football governing body FIFA has revealed the tournament poster for this year’s World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The global showpiece is now under a hundred days to go before the three nations welcome the world for the greatest show on earth. This year’s tournament will unfold across a record 104 matches, kicking off at Mexico City Stadium on 11 June, with a clash between co-hosts Mexico against South Africa and making its way to New…

The South African Football Association (SAFA) has confirmed that Bafana Bafana will be based in Pachuca, Mexico, for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Bafana Bafana will train at the Universidad del Futbol and stay at the Camino Real Pachuca hotel, located just outside Pachuca. Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca is scheduled to stage the tournament’s opening match, Mexico vs. South Africa, on June 11. Mexico is under the spotlight after the city of Guadalajara erupted with cartel violence last weekend, alongside…

World football governing body FIFA will distribute 100,000 balls to 500 American cities to build excitement across the United States ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has announced. Infantino says the competition will be “a celebration of humanity, bringing people together in joy and football spirit”. Speaking to delegates at the United States Conference of Mayors’ (USCM) Winter Meeting held in Washington, D.C., Infantino said the cities represented by each of the 500 members would…

South Africa’s senior football team, Bafana Bafana, will face Panama in two international friendly matches to be played in South Africa next month. The matches will be played between 27 and 31 March 2026 as Bafana Bafana’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. “The matches form a critical component of head coach Hugo Broos’s build-up programme ahead of the global tournament, which will be hosted by the United States of America, Canada and Mexico from 11 June to 19…

A sense of pride, joy and quiet awe filled the Nelson Mandela Amphitheatre at the Union Buildings on Friday, as President Cyril Ramaphosa officially welcomed the FIFA World Cup Original Trophy to South Africa, marking a historic and emotional moment in the country’s football journey. Bathed in sunshine and framed by the seat of government, invited guests, football legends, government leaders and members of the Bafana Bafana World Cup squad gathered in anticipation as the most coveted prize in world…

Ivory Coast head coach Emerse Faé will take the team to the FIFA 2026 World Cup, and that is final. This is the message from the country’s Football Association president, Idriss Diallo, who says the Elephants’ failure at the recent Africa Cup of Nations is no grounds to dismiss Faé. “We have to be serious. This coach won AFCON (on home soil) under conditions we all know, qualified us for a first World Cup since 2014, qualified for another AFCON…

World football governing body FIFA has revealed the pots ahead of the group stage draw for the World Cup next year. South Africa’s senior national team, Bafana Bafana, has been placed in Pot 3. On Friday, 5 December, participating teams will find out which pathway they must follow in their quest to lift the trophy when the draw is conducted in Washington DC, United States of America (USA). The Final Draw procedures stipulate that the hosts Canada, Mexico and the…

On paper, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s playoff run next March could be a walk in the park. The FIFA World Cup 2026 Play-Off Tournament draw was conducted on Thursday, and given their better ranking, DR Congo will only play in one of the two finals, which means they are 90 minutes away from qualifying for the global showpiece. DR Congo, who are ranked 56th globally, qualified for the inter-confederation playoffs by beating Nigeria to win Africa’s playoff. Now, standing…