South Africa, Ivory Coast, Senegal qualify for 2026 World Cup

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa coach Hugo Broos has claimed that it is three years of hard work and that “the future looks very bright” for his team, as they qualified for the 2026 World Cup on Tuesday.

The South Africans, Ivory Coast and Senegal all won convincingly on the same day to fill the last three automatic places reserved for Africa at the Finals in North America.

Senegal were the most impressive winners, hammering Mauritania 4-0, while Ivory Coast beat Kenya 3-0 and South Africa were also 3-0 winners, against Rwanda.

The trio will join Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia at the global showpiece in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Belgium-born coach Broos was thrilled as he represented his country as a player at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico and wanted to coach a team at the tournament before retiring.

“We all knew that we could do it, we believed in ourselves. We are going to the World Cup and it is fantastic,” said the 73-year-old.

“In the last three years we changed players and every time it was the right choice. What happened tonight is the work of three years and the future looks very bright for South African football.

“We have the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco during December and then the World Cup. There are no words to express how I feel.”

Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon and Nigeria kept alive hopes of swelling the African representation to 10 nations by finishing as the four best-ranked runners-up.

They will meet in two single-match semi-finals and a final in Morocco during November and the winners advance to inter-continental play-offs in March with two World Cup places up for grabs.

Former Liverpool star Sadio Mane scored just before and after half-time for Group B table-toppers Senegal, with Iliman Ndiaye and Habib Diallo also netting for the Teranga Lions.

Senegal finished with 24 points, two more than DR Congo, who edged Sudan 1-0 in Kinshasa through a Theo Bongonda goal.

Manchester United winger Amad Diallo completed the scoring for the Ivory Coast, who led from the seventh minute in a convincing triumph over Kenya in Abidjan.

Franck Kessie put the reigning African champions ahead and Yan Diomande added the second goal soon after half-time.

Ivory Coast topped Group F with 26 points, one more than Gabon. Gambia overwhelmed the Seychelles 7-0 to come third.

Thalente Mbatha and Oswin Appollis scored for South Africa in the first half and Evidence Makgopa sealed victory with a goal midway through the second period in Mbombela.

South Africa topped Group C with 18 points, one more than Nigeria, who hammered third-placed Benin 4-0 in Uyo with Victor Osimhen claiming a hat-trick.

It will be the fourth appearance by South Africa at the global showpiece. They qualified for the 1998 and 2002 tournaments and were automatic participants in 2010 as the host nation.

Winger Appollis was voted player of the match after scoring and creating the other goals as South Africa regained their scoring touch after failing to find the net in a draw with Zimbabwe last Friday.

“What an amazing feeling for the group going to the World Cup. I am so happy for the boys,” he told reporters.

“I know we had a draw in our last game, but I knew that we would come here to Mbombela tonight and win.”

In Asia, Saudi Arabia claimed a 0-0 draw with Iraq in Jeddah to seal qualification.

Herve Renard’s side only needed a point against Graham Arnold’s Iraq, and an injury-time save by goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi to keep out Hassan Abdulkareem’s curling free kick ensured the Saudis confirmed their progress.

“I was expecting a lot of people but the atmosphere was fantastic, the fans pushed the players,” Renard said. “Even though Salem (Al-Dawsari) got the man of the match, I think this evening it was the fans.

“It has not been easy a few months ago, but we did it and this is the most important.” AFP, REUTERS