M. Salah leads Egypt to 2026 World Cup with 3-0 win

Casablanca witnessed a historic night as Mohamed Salah’s two goals propelled Egypt to a decisive 3-0 victory over Djibouti, ensuring the Pharaohs’ place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This marks Egypt’s fifth qualification in the tournament’s history.

The win in Casablanca puts Egypt five points clear at the top of Group A in the African qualifiers, making their qualification unassailable. Salah, who has been the linchpin of Egypt’s campaign, scored nine goals throughout the qualifying rounds, playing a crucial role in the team’s success.

Salah’s first goal came just six minutes after teammate Ibrahim Adel opened the scoring, setting the tone for a dominant display. He later added a second goal late in the match to complete the victory over a Djibouti side ranked far below Egypt in the FIFA standings.

Elsewhere in the African qualifiers, Ghana delivered a commanding 5-0 win against the Central African Republic in Meknes. Goals from Thomas Partey, Mohammed Salisu, Alexander Djiku, Jordan Ayew, and Kamaldeen Sulemana brought Ghana within one point of World Cup qualification. Currently, Ghana sits on 22 points, with a superior goal difference compared to Madagascar.

In another notable match, Cape Verde rallied from two goals down to draw 3-3 with Libya in Tripoli. The island nation is on the verge of its first-ever World Cup appearance and can secure top spot in Group D by defeating Eswatini in their final qualifier.

Cameroon remains in contention after a 2-0 win over Mauritius but must win their final match against Angola and hope Cape Verde falters to secure direct qualification.

Under the current African qualification format, group winners qualify directly for the World Cup. Meanwhile, the four best runners-up will compete in a playoff tournament scheduled for November, aiming for a place in the intercontinental playoffs next March.