African coaches lead a new era as local talent shines on the world stage

Africa has witnessed a seismic shift in football, with local coaches now at the forefront of the continent’s success.

Seven homegrown managers, including big names like Hossam Hassan (Egypt) and Walid Regragui (Morocco), have guided their national teams to World Cup 2026 qualification, ending the long-standing dominance of foreign bosses. This resurgence reflects faith in domestic expertise, managers who intimately understand the mindset and environment of African players.

This year’s qualifiers made history, with nine African teams set to compete in the expanded 48-team tournament. Among them, Cape Verde qualifies for the first time, joining established teams such as Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Senegal, Ghana, Ivory Coast, and South Africa. Notably, seven of these squads are led by local coaches, underscoring a new confidence in African leadership.

While foreign coaches still feature, Vladimir Petkovic (Algeria) and Hugo Broos (South Africa), the trend toward homegrown management represents a deep change in soccer philosophy. With golden generations of players and innovative national coaches, African football aspires not just to repeat Morocco’s historic 2022 semi-final run, but to reach even greater heights in 2026. The continent’s future now rests in the hands of its own sons.