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37 days to go: The rise of Africa

May 7, 2026 3 min read
37 days to go: The rise of Africa

African teams have recorded a total of 37 victories in World Cup history. Nigeria leads the continent with six wins, followed by Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco, and Senegal with five each. Algeria, Ivory Coast, and Tunisia have three wins each, while South Africa has two.

Tunisia's 3-1 victory over Mexico at the 1978 Argentina World Cup marked the continent's first World Cup win. African football has progressed significantly since then, with classic victories including Algeria's defeat of West Germany in 1982, Morocco's win over Portugal in 1986, Cameroon's triumph against Argentina and Colombia in 1990, and Nigeria's victory over Bulgaria in 1994.

At the 2022 Qatar World Cup, Africa set a new record for most wins in a single tournament. Morocco, Senegal, Cameroon, Ghana, and Tunisia combined for eight victories, with Morocco making history by reaching the semi-finals. This achievement demonstrated the continent's growing strength on football's biggest stage.

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