Mohamed Salah on the Brink of World Cup Qualification with Egypt

Football legends from Africa, Mohamed Salah and Achraf Hakimi, are well-positioned to take part in the 2026 World Cup, with Egypt and Morocco currently holding strong leads in their respective qualifying groups.

On the flip side, Ademola Lookman, the reigning CAF Footballer of the Year, along with Nigerian teammate Victor Osimhen, faces an uphill battle to secure a spot at the prestigious 48-nation tournament.

Guided by the example of Paris Saint-Germain’s Hakimi, Morocco enjoys a commanding nine-point lead in Group E over Niger, marking the largest gap among the nine qualifying groups.

Liverpool’s Salah has netted six goals in six qualifiers, propelling Egypt to a five-point lead at the top of Group A over Burkina Faso.

With four matches remaining in September and October, only a dramatic downturn would prevent both Egypt and Morocco from securing their spots as two of the nine African representatives for the tournament set to take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The nine group victors are guaranteed a spot, while the winners of a mini-tournament featuring the top four runners-up will vie for a place via inter-continental play-offs.

Nigeria currently sits fourth in Group C, having secured only one win from six matches.

AFP Sport offers an overview of the group standings as the quest to qualify hots up.

Group A

Salah and Mahmoud Trezeguet have accounted for 11 of Egypt’s 14 goals, putting them in a strong position to qualify for the third time. Their previous appearances were in the 1934, 1990, and 2018 World Cups.

Egypt’s record in World Cup qualifiers hasn’t been on par with their success in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which they have clinched a record seven times.

Group B

In Group B, the Democratic Republic of Congo leads, closely followed by Senegal and Sudan, separated by merely a point.

The Congolese still have to host their two contenders, which could put Sudan, a nation grappling with civil turmoil, at a disadvantage as three of their four matches are away.

Group C

South Africa’s five-point lead could dwindle to just one should FIFA penalise them for fielding an ineligible Teboho Mokoena in a recent win against Lesotho.

While South Africa is wary of the potential for a change in their 2-0 win to a 3-0 loss, they believe Lesotho failed to submit an official protest within the stipulated 24-hour period post-match.

Group D

Cape Verde leads Cameroon by a single point, with Cameroon set to travel to Praia in September.

If the Blue Sharks, a surprise contender, can secure a victory in Mauritius and triumph against Cameroon at home, they could seal their first-ever World Cup appearance.

Group E

For Morocco, qualification seems more a matter of when rather than if, as they possess a level of skill far surpassing that of their challengers Niger, Tanzania, and Zambia.

If Congo’s suspension over governmental interference escalates to disqualification, Morocco requires just one point from their two remaining matches. If Congo is reinstated, they need four points from three.

Group F

In Group F, reigning African champions Ivory Coast and Gabon, led by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, are separated by just one point, setting up a highly anticipated match in September in Franceville.

The team finishing second in this group could also earn a chance to qualify by being among the four best-ranked runners-up.

Group G

Algeria, under the guidance of Bosnian coach Vladimir Petkovic, has largely dominated, apart from one slip-up against Guinea.

Mozambique is currently positioned as the next best team and remains in contention for one of the four playoff spots.

Group H

Tunisia’s qualification seems almost guaranteed as they look set to qualify for the seventh time. However, it’s fourth-placed Equatorial Guinea that is currently capturing the spotlight.

With FIFA recently lifting a ban on prominent forward Emilio Nsue, Equatorial Guinea is eager to have the six points regained following their wins over Namibia and Liberia, which would elevate them to second place.

Group I

Ghana has bounced back from a disappointing failure to qualify for the 2025 AFCON by securing five victories in their qualifiers, establishing a three-point lead over Comoros.

Mali, the top seeds, have seen a significant improvement since Tom Saintfiet took the reins, but faced a surprising setback this week with a draw against the Central African Republic, leaving them six points behind the leaders.