African Football Advances at 2026 World Cup, Calls for Referee Reform

A record ten African nations – Algeria, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia – qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, the most ever from the continent. Former Ivory Coast forward Salomon Kalou said African football “has definitely been progress,” praising Morocco as the benchmark after its historic semi‑final run in Qatar 2022.

Business magnate Tony Elumelu lauded the teams as a source of continental pride but warned FIFA that refereeing standards must improve. He highlighted the absence of Nigerian officials and a visa denial for Somali referee Omar Artan, urging investment in referee academies, VAR technology and merit‑based selection to ensure fairness on the pitch.