With ten African nations set to compete at the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, football analysts in Tanzania believe DR Congo, Morocco and Senegal are the continent’s strongest hopes for a deep run in the tournament.
The discussion featured on the Tanzanian football show Game Time, aired on the Dimbani Konekti YouTube channel and hosted by sports presenter Andrea Massawe.
DR Congo Praised for Team Spirit
DR Congo, coached by Sébastien Desabre, have emerged as one of the surprise teams attracting attention ahead of the tournament.
Formerly known as Zaire during their last World Cup appearance, DR Congo have earned praise for their collective style of play rather than relying on superstar names.
Football analyst Skillz Sensei said DR Congo’s strength lies in their unity and discipline on the pitch.
“They eliminated some big teams during the playoff stages. Many people are surprised by how far they have come,” he said.
Among the players selected for the Congolese squad, only striker Fiston Mayele currently plays for an African club, while the rest are based overseas.
Sensei argued that national team coaches are forced to select the strongest available players, most of whom now compete in Europe.
“African football exists, but the level is still different from what players experience in Europe. When building a national team for AFCON or the World Cup, coaches choose the strongest squad possible regardless of where the players are based,” he explained.
Morocco Still Carrying Africa’s Hopes
Morocco, coached by Mohamed Ouahbi, are also viewed as strong contenders after their historic run to the World Cup semi-finals in the previous edition, where they defeated Portugal in the quarter-finals before losing to France.
Football fan Masoud Jr, speaking during the Game Time discussion, said Morocco’s squad remains largely unchanged from the team that impressed the world four years ago.
“This is a squad that I believe will not be shaken even by the biggest names in world football like France,” he said.
Masoud noted that only a few familiar names from the previous tournament appear to be missing, while most of the experienced core remains intact.
Analyst Moruo King described Morocco as Africa’s “flag bearer” because of their historic achievements on the world stage.
“Whenever Africa speaks proudly about reaching the highest stages of the World Cup, we cannot leave out Morocco,” he said.
He also expressed disappointment that former coach Walid Regragui would not continue the journey he started.
“I wish Walid Regragui was still there to finish what he began, but football moves on,” Moruo added.
Senegal Seen as Africa’s Most Complete Team
Senegal, another team highly rated by the panel, were described as one of the continent’s most balanced and experienced squads.
Moruo King said the tournament could mark the final World Cup appearances for key Senegalese stars including Sadio Mané, Kalidou Koulibaly and Idrissa Gueye.
“Senegal have one of the strongest generations of players Africa has produced. This could be the last World Cup for some of their biggest stars, and they owe their fans something memorable,” he said.
He added that Senegal and Morocco remain the African teams he expects to progress furthest in the competition, while DR Congo also deserve attention after navigating a difficult qualification route.
Other African Teams Given Less Chance
The analysts said they were less confident about the chances of Egypt, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Algeria, Tunisia, Ghana and Cape Verde — with Cape Verde making their World Cup debut.
Despite that, they agreed that African football continues to grow in global competitiveness, with hopes that one of the continent’s representatives can once again challenge the world’s traditional football powers.