For the first time in the history of the World Cup, five African national teams have advanced to the playoffs.
Sport.Biz reports that Cape Verde, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, and South Africa will compete in the 1/16 finals of WC 2026.
Thus, five of the nine African representatives who will perform in the playoffs will do it for the first time. This is considered a historic indicator for continental football.
WC 2026 is particularly significant for Cape Verde. The team has advanced to the playoffs in its debut season and will face the current world champion Argentina in the 1/16 finals.