After 29 days of competition, the hopes of the African continent for the 2026 FIFA World Cup now rest solely on Morocco. The 'Atlas Lions' are the only African national team remaining in the tournament after a record number of 10 teams qualified for the expanded championship.
Quarterfinals and Participants
Morocco will face two-time world champions France in their first quarterfinal at Boston Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. A spot in the semi-finals is at stake. Other participants in the quarterfinals include defending champions Argentina, England, Spain, Belgium, Norway, and Switzerland, alongside France and Morocco. Europe dominates the final eight teams, occupying six spots, which accounts for 75% of the quarterfinalists.
Record-Breaking World Cup
The 2026 World Cup has set new records. For the first time, the tournament was expanded from 32 to 48 teams, leading to an increase in matches from 64 to 104 and the introduction of a new 32-team playoff stage. Over 1200 players participated in the competition, with each country allowed to register up to 26 players.
Joint Hosting of the Tournament
This tournament is also the first FIFA World Cup to be jointly hosted by three countries: the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Matches will take place in 16 cities across these three nations.
Continental Representation and Finances
Europe showed the greatest representation with 16 teams. This is followed by six teams from South America (CONMEBOL) and six from North, Central America, and the Caribbean (CONCACAF), including the host countries of the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Africa is represented by a record 10 nations, while Asia and Oceania have also increased their participation under the expanded format.
Financial rewards have reached an unprecedented level. The winners of the 2026 World Cup will receive a record $50 million, which is $8 million more than Argentina earned for winning the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. FIFA has increased the total prize fund for the tournament to $871 million, nearly double the $440 million distributed in Qatar four years ago. Each participating country is guaranteed at least $12.5 million, including preparation funds.
Race for the Golden Boot
With only eight teams remaining, the race for the Golden Boot is intensifying. Argentina's captain Lionel Messi leads the scoring charts with eight goals. He is being chased by Kylian Mbappé of France and Erling Haaland of Norway, both of whom have scored seven goals. England's captain Harry Kane has scored six goals. In case of a tie in goals, FIFA will use the number of assists as the first selection criterion. Currently, Mbappé has an advantage with two assists compared to Messi's one.
Increase in Red Cards
The tournament has also shown a significant increase in the number of player send-offs. As of July 7, 13 red cards had been issued, already exceeding the combined total of red cards in the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, where each was four. The current figure approaches the 17 red cards recorded at the 2010 World Cup. Some dismissals occurred as a result of dangerous tackles, while others were related to a stricter application of FIFA's player conduct rules, including penalties for covering one's mouth during conversations on the field with teammates or match officials.
