DR Congo Welcomes You To Africa’s World Cup

While it would be asking too much to expect soccer to deliver anything like justice, you can usually count on the sport’s sense of humor. That’s why we probably shouldn’t be surprised that the 2026 World Cup, marred from the outside by the racist caprices of the Trump administration, could best be described at this point as African soccer’s coming-out party.

Here at the close of the tournament’s group stage, the Africans are triumphant. Nine of their 10 World Cup entrants have made it the round of 32. No other continental confederation can better Africa’s percentage of knockout qualifiers. Getting so many teams through is impressive in its own right, but doing so has to feel especially rewarding in light of how much skepticism and bullshit African soccer had to endure coming into the World Cup. Whether explicit or just implied, Africa was one of the main targets of the concerns many had about the quality of this tournament due to the newly expanded field. Eurocentric pundits and officials alike penciled these purportedly benighted teams in for a wave of thrashings at the hands of the Old Continent’s elite. Then, when the tournament was finally set to begin, African fans, journalists, players, and even referees were subjected to the noxious indignities of Donald Trump’s security theatrics, the “lucky” ones merely manhandled by customs agents en route to their American destinations, the less fortunate seeing their entry into the country denied outright. And yet, now that the games have actually started, the Africans have outperformed all expectations.

Saturday’s group stage–ending round of matches stood in well for what Africa has brought to this World Cup. Three African teams were in action, each aiming to solidify their place in the round of 32. First up was Ghana, which had no reason to be too bothered by its 2-1 loss to Croatia, given that the Black Stars had already sealed their place in the knockout rounds by taking four points from their first two games. Next came DR Congo, which got the win it needed against Uzbekistan to also stamp its ticket to the next round. Finally, there was Algeria-Austria, a game that offered the Desert Warriors a chance to avenge a nearly half-century-old grudge against the Austrians for the infamous Disgrace of Gijon at the 1982 World Cup. Both teams only needed a draw to advance, and a loss would’ve seen either ousted. But unlike that day in Spain 44 years ago, there would be no collusion this time. At the tail end of a wild match, Algeria, the victim of the non-aggression pact between Austria and West Germany back then, seemed to have gotten their revenge when a stoppage-time Riyad Mahrez goal put his team up 3-2. However, Austria kept hope alive and was redeemed by an equalizer which allowed both teams to go through.