Ivory Coast and Tunisia lead Africa’s defensive rankings in 2026 World Cup qualifiers

Defensive strength has proven decisive in the race for World Cup qualification across Africa, with Ivory Coast and Tunisia emerging as the continent’s most formidable backlines during the 2026 qualifying campaign.

Both nations completed their group stages without conceding a single goal, a testament to their tactical discipline, defensive organisation, and consistency across ten matches.

The feat underscores their ability to combine structure with efficiency — a crucial formula in high-stakes continental competition.

Close on their heels, Egypt and Morocco have each conceded just two goals, confirming their status as two of Africa’s most balanced teams.

Egypt’s defensive discipline under Rui Vitória and Morocco’s composure under Walid Regragui have enabled both sides to navigate challenging fixtures with minimal damage.

Senegal follows in fifth position, having conceded three goals throughout their qualifying campaign.

While the reigning African champions boast one of the most potent attacks, their ability to maintain defensive stability has been equally significant in ensuring a smooth passage toward qualification.

Further down the list, Ghana, Cape Verde, and Algeria each revealed more defensive vulnerabilities.

Ghana’s backline shipped six goals, suggesting room for improvement as the Black Stars aim to strengthen before the global tournament.

Cape Verde and Algeria, both conceding eight goals, struggled at times to contain opponents, often undone by lapses in concentration and inconsistent marking.

South Africa sit at the bottom of this ranking, having conceded nine goals.

Despite flashes of attacking promise, the Bafana Bafana defence has often looked fragile under pressure, a weakness that has complicated their qualification ambitions.

The overall defensive ranking paints a clear picture of the fine margins separating contenders from those still searching for balance:

Ranking of the best defenses in the 2026 World Cup African qualifiers:

1. Ivory Coast – 0 goals conceded
2. Tunisia – 0 goals conceded
3. Egypt – 2 goals conceded
4. Morocco – 2 goals conceded
5. Senegal – 3 goals conceded
6. Ghana – 6 goals conceded
7. Cape Verde – 8 goals conceded
8. Algeria – 8 goals conceded
9. South Africa – 9 goals conceded

As the road to North America 2026 continues, these figures underline a timeless truth in football — that while goals win games, strong defences win tournaments.

For Ivory Coast and Tunisia, their resilience at the back may prove to be the foundation upon which greater success is built.

Tags: Ivory Coast, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Senegal, Ghana, Algeria, Cape Verde, South Africa, 2026 World Cup Qualifiers, African Football