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How African Teams Will Get On at Qatar 2022

Can an African Nation Win the 2022 World Cup?

The FIFA World Cup in Qatar at the end of this year promises to be another exhilarating tournament. There will be upsets and shocks – but could the biggest one be an African nation winning the final?

Brazilian legend Pele once famously declared that a team from Africa would lift the famous trophy before the year 2000. That obviously didn’t happen and most betting sites seem sure that it won’t happen in Qatar either. But do any of the five African qualifiers stand a chance?

Tunisia

The Eagles of Carthage have qualified for their second consecutive World Cup finals but are still to progress further than the group stage in five attempts. A single goal in two legs against Mali was enough to book their place in Qatar but finishing first or second in their group will be a huge achievement.

Tunisia still actually does not know the identity of all its opponents yet thanks to the late scheduling of the playoff games. But having to face both Denmark and France suggests that getting out of the group stage is going to be tough. Jalel Kadri’s men may even need a result against the World champions to proceed.

Ghana

The Black Stars are one of the established superpowers of African football. But results have not been as impressive in recent years. There was the success of getting the quarterfinals in South Africa in 2010, but Ghana failed to make it to Russia last time.

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This year’s Africa Cup of Nations was a disaster as Ghana exited at the group stage, losing to Comoros on the way. Now the West African team face Portugal, South Korea and Uruguay at the World Cup. Those are daunting fixtures – but there is the prospect of some revenge in that last game after the controversial way Uruguay knocked Ghana out in 2010. 

Cameroon

Cameroon playing at a World Cup immediately takes fans back to the 1990s and the heroics of Roger Milla. But the Indomitable Lions have not competed at the tournament since 2014 and have only ever gotten out of the group stage once in seven attempts.

Cameroon will be hoping to get at least four points from the opening two games against Switzerland and Serbia this time around. That’s because Brazil awaits in the final group game. With only two nations making it through to the knockout rounds, Cameroon will not want to rely on a result against Brazil.

Morocco

Morocco head coach Vahid Halilhodzic has recently said that he thinks an African team will win the World Cup in the next 10 to 12 years. That suggests that there is not too much belief in the Atlas Lions going far in Qatar. But there may be a chance of them getting out of the group for only the second time.

If Morocco can beat an aging Croatia side in the first game, it will then take anything it can from the game against Belgium before targeting a victory over Canada in the final game. A lot will be riding on that first game but there is enough talent in the squad to make it to the round of 16.

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African Teams

Senegal

The newly crowned African champions probably have the best chance of winning the 2022 World Cup as well. Senegal overcame Mo Salah in the continental tournament before beating his team again in the playoff to make it to Qatar. Now a favorable group draw has hopes high.

Senegal actually kicks off the competition against the Netherlands before facing host Qatar and finishing off the group stage with a game against Ecuador. That looks like an excellent chance to go further – and maybe Sadio Mane will be able to inspire his side to become the first Africans ever to lift the World Cup trophy.