Senegal legend El Hadji Diouf backs Africa to win 2026 World Cup

Former Senegal forward El Hadji Diouf believes the time has come for an African nation to conquer the world stage, insisting the continent has the quality and belief to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Africa enjoyed its finest World Cup campaign at the 2022 tournament in Qatar, where Morocco made history by becoming the first African side to reach the semifinals.

The Atlas Lions stunned European heavyweights Spain and Portugal during their remarkable run before eventually bowing out to France, sparking renewed debate over whether an African country can finally lift football’s biggest prize.

With the 2026 World Cup set to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico and expanded to a record 48-team competition, Diouf is convinced Africa has a genuine opportunity to go all the way.

Speaking to AFP, the former Liverpool striker dismissed doubts about Africa’s chances when asked if an African captain could lift the trophy in New Jersey on July 19.

“Why not?” Diouf responded confidently.

The 44-year-old pointed to the quality within Senegal’s national team as proof that African nations can compete with the world’s elite.

“Take my own country. We have amazing players like Sadio Mane, Idrissa Gueye and Edouard Mendy,” he said.

“They can match stars from any country. The 2026 World Cup – Africa is going there to win the tournament.”

Diouf’s comments reflect growing optimism surrounding African football following Morocco’s breakthrough in Qatar and the continued emergence of top-level African talent across Europe’s leading leagues.

The 2026 World Cup will also mark a significant milestone for the continent, with Africa set to be represented by a record 10 nations.

The continent’s representatives are Algeria, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia.

The expanded tournament format is expected to provide African teams with greater opportunities to showcase their quality and challenge traditional football powers.

While no African side has yet reached a World Cup final, Diouf believes the progress made in recent years proves the gap is narrowing and that the dream of global glory is no longer unrealistic.

As preparations intensify for football’s biggest spectacle, Africa heads toward 2026 carrying both heightened expectations and growing confidence that history can be made once again.