Morocco became the first African nation to secure a spot at next year’s World Cup on Friday, sealing qualification with a dominant 5-0 victory over Niger in Rabat. The win guaranteed them top place in Group E and extended their perfect run in the qualifiers to six matches.
Ismael Saibari struck twice, while Ayoub El Kaabi, Hamza Igamane and Azzedine Ounahi also found the net, ensuring Morocco’s 100% record. Their closest challengers, Tanzania, were held to a 1-1 draw by Congo earlier in the day, leaving them on 10 points from six games compared to Morocco’s 18.
The Atlas Lions, who made history in 2022 as the first African team to reach a World Cup semi-final, have remained Africa’s highest-ranked side ever since.
Elsewhere on a busy night of 14 qualifiers across the continent, Egypt maintained control of Group A with a 2-0 home win over Ethiopia. Mohamed Salah converted from the spot for his seventh goal of the campaign, before Omar Marmoush added a second penalty. Burkina Faso stayed five points behind after thrashing Djibouti 6-0, with braces from Dango Ouattara and Edmond Tapsoba.
In Group F, African champions Ivory Coast returned to the summit after a narrow 1-0 win over Burundi, courtesy of a third-minute strike by Vakoun Bayo. They now sit a point above Gabon, who they will face away on Tuesday.
Group B remains finely poised, with just one point separating leaders DR Congo and Senegal. Cedric Bakambu’s double and a Yoane Wissa goal helped DR Congo beat South Sudan 4-1, while Senegal overcame Sudan 2-0 in Dakar thanks to Kalidou Koulibaly and Pape Matar Sarr. The two giants meet in Kinshasa on Tuesday.
South Africa stayed firmly in control of Group C, five points clear of Benin. Burnley’s Lyle Foster scored as Bafana Bafana swept aside Lesotho 3-0, while Steve Mounie’s goal gave Benin victory over Zimbabwe. Nigeria, struggling so far, remain in contention but must win their upcoming fixtures against Rwanda and South Africa.
In Group G, Algeria’s chances improved significantly after second-placed Mozambique were thrashed 4-0 in Uganda, while in Group H Namibia’s defeat to Malawi means Tunisia can book their place if they beat Equatorial Guinea away on Monday.
Winners of all nine groups qualify automatically for the 2026 World Cup in North America. The four best runners-up will advance to a playoff in November, offering one additional route to the finals.
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Speaking during a closed-door deposition in New York on Thursday (February), former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she did not “recall” ever meeting the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and had “no knowledge of his crimes”.
Pakistan’s declaration of an “open war” with Afghanistan must be understood in the context of months of escalating violence, regional analysts have said, describing the latest developments as a significant shift in the nature of the conflict.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday urged Afghanistan and Pakistan to resolve their differences through dialogue, offering Tehran’s assistance to facilitate understanding between its eastern neighbours.
Follow the latest developments and global reaction after the United States and Israel launched "major combat operations" in Iran, prompting retaliation from Tehran.
Tensions between the U.S. and Iran are escalating, with Washington ordering a significant military build-up in the region and multiple countries evacuating diplomatic staff amid fears of further instability.
Ankara has rejected media reports claiming it plans to deploy military forces into Iranian territory in the event of a U.S. attack on the Islamic republic.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, arrived in Geneva and may hold talks with U.S. officials, according to the RIA news agency.
Two people were killed and around 40 injured when a tram derailed in central Milan on Friday (27 February), a spokesperson for the local fire service said.
A senior Iranian official has warned Israel to “prepare for what is coming”, insisting that Tehran’s response to the latest escalation in the Middle East will be made openly and without limits.
Cuba has released extensive details of a deadly midweek shootout at sea, showing rifles, pistols and nearly 13,000 rounds of ammunition that it says were carried by a group of exiles who attempted to enter the island by speedboat.
Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers said on Friday (27 February) they were ready to negotiate after Pakistan bombed their forces in several Afghan cities, including Kabul and Kandahar, and Islamabad declared the neighbours were now in "open war".
Tensions between the U.S. and Iran are escalating, with Washington ordering a significant military build-up in the region and multiple countries evacuating diplomatic staff amid fears of further instability.
Two people were killed and around 40 injured when a tram derailed in central Milan on Friday (27 February), a spokesperson for the local fire service said.
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