- FIFA's Arsène Wenger spoke at the CAF Strategic Conference in Cape Verde, pointing to data as evidence that an African team can win the World Cup
- Nine of Africa's 10 teams at the 2026 FIFA World Cup advanced past the group stage, a record that Wenger said showed a major leap in discipline and organisation
- Wenger warned that Africa still has one more step to take, noting that most losses came by a single goal and that every detail now matters at the top level
FIFA Chief of Global Football Development Arsène Wenger has said an African team is capable of winning the FIFA World Cup, pointing to performance data and the continent's remarkable showing at the 2026 tournament as the basis for his confidence.
Nigeria, Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, and Cameroon remain some of the big African nations with a chance of making Wenger's belief possible for Africa.
Source: Getty Images
Wenger made the remarks at the CAF Strategic Conference held in Santa Maria, Sal Island, Cape Verde, where he highlighted a historic turnaround in how African sides approached the competition tactically.
According to Flashscore, nine of the 10 African nations that participated in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, advanced beyond the group stage. Tunisia was the only African team eliminated at that early stage.
Wenger hails African teams at the 2026 World Cup
Wenger pointed to a clear shift in how African teams performed on the pitch compared to previous tournaments.
"In the past, African teams sometimes lost because of a lack of compactness, too much distance between the lines and inconsistent concentration," he said.
"At this World Cup, it was difficult to beat any African team because the discipline and organisation were at the top level."
He described the continent's progress as significant but said the next stage remains critical.
"Africa has made a fantastic step forward. There is still another step to make. We want to see an African team win the World Cup, and the numbers show that it is feasible," Wenger said, as quoted by CAFOnline.com.
He added a note of caution alongside his optimism.
"The numbers don't lie, but football is not only numbers. It is also attitude, mental qualities, unity and your value system. Those are things you have to continue working on."
On the fine margins that have separated African teams from going further, Wenger said:
"We are very close, but a small percentage can cost you the game. Most of these games were lost by one goal, so every detail in the modern game becomes absolutely vital."
Morocco's historic run remains the benchmark
Morocco continues to set the standard for African football at the World Cup.
The Atlas Lions made history at the 2022 tournament in Qatar, becoming the first African and Arab nation to reach a World Cup semi-final under head coach Walid Regragui.
They did not concede a single goal until that semi-final stage against France, keeping clean sheets against Croatia, Belgium, Spain, and Portugal along the way.
Morocco eventually finished fourth overall after losing their third-place playoff against Croatia 2-1.
Morocco currently holds the top position in the continental FIFA rankings among African nations.
Nigeria, meanwhile, has appeared at six World Cups across 1994, 1998, 2002, 2010, 2014, and 2018, reaching the Round of 16 on three of those occasions in 1994, 1998, and 2014.
How FIFA blocked Nigeria's World Cup path
Legit.ng previously reported about FIFA’s review of Nigeria’s protest over DR Congo’s use of goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
FIFA’s legal team reportedly found that Mpasi had not completed his switch from France, but the NFF’s complaint was dismissed as too late. That decision allowed DR Congo to reach the World Cup while Nigeria watched from home.
Source: Legit.ng