2026 World Cup: Tunisia Joins Morocco as Africa’s Second Team to Secure Qualification

• Another African country has secured its ticket to the 2026 World Cup, following Morocco’s early qualification
• Their success makes them the 18th nation overall to book a place at next year's global football festival
• For Ghana, a win against Mali in Accra would be a massive step toward keeping their own World Cup dreams alive

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Africa already has two representatives at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after Tunisia confirmed their place alongside Morocco.

The Carthage Eagles have gone about their qualification journey with quiet authority. They have been flawless at the back, the only side yet to concede a goal in the qualifiers.

Tunisia qualifies for the 2026 World Cup

Heading into their match against Equatorial Guinea, the 2004 African champions had dropped just two points from a possible 21 and sat firmly at the top of Group H.

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Coach Sami Trabelsi approached the decisive game with measured confidence. His players began cautiously, gradually finding their rhythm as the minutes ticked by.

The hosts grew more adventurous after the break, testing Tunisia’s resilience with waves of pressure.

But just when it seemed the contest would end in a stalemate, the visitors delivered the knockout punch.

Substitute Mohamed Ben Romdhane, introduced for Ferjani Sassi in the second half, latched onto a clever pass from Firas Chaouat and fired home in stoppage time.

His wild celebrations earned him a booking, but the yellow card mattered little compared to the significance of the strike.

The goal not only won the game in Malabo but also booked Tunisia’s ticket to North America.

That dramatic finish extended Tunisia’s unbeaten run in the qualifiers and lifted their tally to 22 points from eight matches, with 13 goals scored and none conceded, as noted by the BBC.

Namibia remain second with 12 points and a game in hand, but even victory over Sao Tome and Principe would not close the gap, leaving the North Africans uncatchable with two rounds left.

For Tunisia, this triumph secures a seventh appearance at the World Cup after campaigns in 1978, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2018, and 2022, per Fox Sports.

They now join Morocco, who had earlier become the first African nation to qualify for the 2026 edition.

From their stubborn defence to their patient game management, the Carthage Eagles have shown the qualities of seasoned campaigners.

Sharing his thoughts on Tunisia’s qualification, sports journalist Stephen Zando told YEN.com.gh:

"Honestly, I have mixed feelings about this. In all of Tunisia’s past World Cup appearances, they’ve never gone beyond the group stage. That said, their current achievement is commendable.

"To play eight matches without conceding a single goal is remarkable and highlights their defensive strength. Hopefully, they put everything in order before next year’s global showpiece."

Meanwhile, Ghana prepares to face Mali in a high-stakes clash at the Accra Sports Stadium — a game that could heavily influence the Black Stars’ chances of joining Tunisia and Morocco at the World Cup.

FIFA bans one country from 2026 World Cup

In an earlier report, YEN.com.gh noted that one country has now been formally ruled out of the 2026 World Cup.

Russia remains the only nation officially banned from the tournament. The European side was suspended by both UEFA and FIFA in February 2022 following its invasion of Ukraine and has not yet been reinstated for competitive football.

Source: YEN.com.gh