2026 World Cup kicks off Thursday with Nigeria, Cameroon absent
2026 World Cup begins Thursday with Mexico vs South Africa in first-ever three-nation tournament across Mexico, US and Canada. Both Nigeria and Cameroon missed qualification after losing play-offs to DR Congo, who became Africa's 10th qualifying team.
Experts expect at least two African teams to reach quarterfinals despite no fairytale runs to semis like recent tournaments. "Nigeria not being there does bring the excitement down a little, at least for Nigerians who are casual followers," analyst Clinton McDubus notes.
Spain tops favorites list if Lamine Yamal stays fit, followed by France and Portugal. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric likely making final World Cup appearances after defying retirement expectations since 2018.
Which African team will surprise everyone at this tournament, and can Spain finally deliver on their promise as tournament favorites?