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As his side prepares to face the Reds in the Champions League on Wednesday, Eintracht Frankfurt coach Dino Toppmöller claimed Liverpool have been “the better team in every game” of their four-game losing streak.

Given that they bolstered their squad over the course of the close-season, making almost £450 million ($604 million) worth of new signings, Liverpool are currently in a surprising slump.

Following defeats against Chelsea, Galatasaray, and Crystal Palace, Arne Slot’s team lost to arch-rivals Manchester United 2-1 on Sunday. For more than a decade, Liverpool hadn’t lost four games in a row.

Toppmoeller claimed that Liverpool’s game could have gone “could have been 4-2,” adding that the Reds “are not in top form, only in the sense of their results.”

The 44-year-old said, “When you watch the games, which we did, you see that they seem to lack a little spark at the moment,” “

They have, however, had better team dynamics and more chances to score.

Toppoeller stated, “We’re anticipating a world-class team tomorrow,” adding that the English champions would be highly motivated to travel to Frankfurt.

You need to be aware of what losing four games in a row means for a team.

Read more about Slot’s search for solutions as the crisis in Liverpool gets worse.

Under former manager Brendan Rodgers, Liverpool lost their final four games in November 2014.

The team’s performance has been impacted by Mo Salah’s slump, which is one of its issues.

However, Toppoeller claimed that the Egyptian “was probably one of the top three players in the world over the past ten years” and still is today.

Germany’s $ 100 million midfielder Florian Wirtz, who has returned to his native country for the first time since joining Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer, is another Red that isn’t performing at his best.

Even though Wirtz didn’t have the same numbers as he did in Leverkusen, Toppoeller claimed that his performances were “quite decent.”

He is at a club where everyone is always watching, and the sun is shining.

Novak Djokovic stated on Tuesday that he would not play at the upcoming Paris Masters, but added that he would like to do so the following year.

Since defeating then-world number 204 Valentin Vacherot in the Shanghai Masters semi-finals earlier in October, Djokovic has not played a formal match.

The 38-year-old endured numerous medical treatments and physical struggles throughout the game, throwing up courtside and receiving medical attention multiple times.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion posted on social media, “Dear Paris, I’ll unfortunately not compete at this year’s (tournament).”

“I have wonderful memories and great success over the years, especially having the title seven times.”

“I’m looking forward to seeing you next year.”

READ MORE: Djokovic Sets Up The Blockbuster at the US Open in Alcaraz As Sabalenka Advances

At the Six Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia, Djokovic was forced to withdraw from his third-place match against American Taylor Fritz last week.

As he tries to win a record-breaking 25th major title, the Serbian skipped the Paris Masters last year because he has drastically reduced the number of tournaments he competes.

After revealing that he had an Achilles tendon operation, world number 10 Holger Rune will not compete in the Paris Masters this year, which will take place on October 27 and November 2.

Bayern Munich’s coach Vincent Kompany has extended his contract until 2029, according to the Bundesliga champions’ announcement on Tuesday.

Belgian Kompany, who was not Bayern’s first choice at the time, won the German title from Bayer Leverkusen in his debut season.

The 39-year-old has led Bayern to 11 victories in 11 games while occupying the top positions in the Champions League and Bundesliga.

Read more recently:  Slot Seeking Solutions As Liverpool’s Crisis Deepens.

Former Manchester City captain Kompany said in a statement that it feels like I’ve been here a lot longer and that I know the club well.

Sean Dyche has been appointed as Nottingham Forest’s new head coach until 2027, the Premier League outfit announced on Tuesday.

Ange Postecoglou was fired on Saturday after only 40 days in charge of the City Ground, and the 54-year-old former Burnley and Everton boss has assumed his place.

In his first season as Everton manager since leaving at the start of this year, Dyche, a Forest trainee under renowned manager Brian Clough, becomes the club’s third manager.

Roberto Mancini, a former manager of Fulham and Italy, reportedly spoke with Forest about the position, and Marco Silva, a former manager of Fulham, also mentioned.

However, Forest chose Dyche as their successor, according to a statement from the organization that Dyche brings the ideal combination of character, tactical acumen, and proven accomplishments to lead the team to its next chapter.

Dyche’s opening Premier League game will be against Bournemouth on Sunday, followed by his Europa League clash against Porto on Thursday.

Ian Woan and Steve Stone will serve as his coaches, along with two other former Forest players.

Postecoglou became the shortest-serving permanent manager in Premier League history after being fired just minutes after Chelsea’s 3-0 loss.

After losing eight of his first eight games, former Spurs manager Evangelos Marinakis was fired.

Nuno Espirito Santo, who was himself fired in September after his relationship with Marinakis ended, was replaced by Postecoglou.

Despite having a squad that received over £100 million ($134 million) of investment during the transfer window, Forest are currently fifth in the Premier League relegation zone with just five points after eight games.

After enduring a fourth straight defeat for the first time in more than a decade, Liverpool’s blip is turning into a full-blown crisis under manager Arne Slot’s desperate search for solutions.

Manchester United defeated the Reds 2-1 on Sunday to claim their first victory at Anfield since January 2016.

An expected improvement in performances has not been realized, despite Liverpool’s successful seven-game winning run at the start of the season, which was bolstered by a flurry of late goals.

For the first time since November 2014, when Brendan Rodgers was in charge, they have now lost four straight games in a row across all competitions.

The pressing issues that Slot must address in order to save Liverpool’s season are examined by AFP Sport.

Mohamed Salah appears to be a shadow of the man who terrorized defenses last season as he attempted to capture the Premier League’s Golden Boot.

The “Egyptian King,” who frequently serves as Liverpool’s attack’s pivot, has only one goal in Premier League open play this season in the opening weekend.

He admitted to squandering two important chances against United on Sunday.

In the most recent Champions League defeat at Galatasaray, the forward was cut out of the starting lineup and was brutally sent off on Sunday despite Liverpool’s desperate attempt to equalize.

Although Slot will hope that the player’s form will improve temporarily since signing a new two-year contract in April, there are still questions about whether or not his best days are over.

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, who is now a Sky Sports pundit, believes Salah shouldn’t be guaranteed a spot every week.

With the form he’s in, Salah shouldn’t start any games right now, especially away from home, he said on Sky.

He said, “Would he like that?” Not likely. Where is your argument, though, especially when you’re not playing well once you’ve reached a certain age?

READ MORE: Maguire Demands Man Utd to Build On Liverpool’s Triumph

Attempting signatures

In the summer transfer window, Slot made the bold move, spending more than $ 450 million ($604 million) on new signings.

The club twice broke their own transfer record by signing Newcastle forward Alexander Isak and playmaker Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen.

However, neither player has yet to score a Premier League goal.

Hugo Ekitike, another big-money arrival, has made a comeback, but he now appears to be responsible for Isak’s poor pecking order.

Diogo Jota’s death in a car accident in July contributed to Liverpool’s substantial spending on forwards.

The Portuguese club’s decision to not have the 28-year-old international is the elephant in the room.

Milos Kerkez, a newcomer to the left-back position where he has been preferred over Andy Robertson, has struggled to find his footing on the other side of the pitch, and Jeremie Frimpong has failed to nail down his spot on the other flank.

defensive crisis

Could Liverpool lose the title to Crystal Palace if they didn’t make Marc Guehi their central defender on the transfer deadline day?

In eight of their 12 league games, Liverpool has conceded two goals more goals than any other team since the start of May.

In their eighth league game, Slot’s men have allowed 11 goals, a whopping three more than Arsenal, who are Premier League leaders.

Robertson and the recently retired Trent Alexander-Arnold were ineffectively filled by Kerkez and Frimpong in the back-up roles.

Even Virgil van Dijk, the typically imperious captain, was criticized for his poor performances, and centre-back Ibrahima Konate was involved in Bryan Mbeumo’s opener on Sunday.

Guehi has informed Crystal Palace that he will not accept a new contract, which could lead to his departure in January or the end of the season.

Even if the England defender chooses Liverpool over other potential suitors, it may not be enough or late.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the biggest in history, with the global showdown featuring 48 teams.

This is an upgrade from 32 countries, the structure from France ‘98 to Qatar 2022. In each edition, Africa had five representatives. However, with an expansion to 48 teams, Africa’s representation has nearly doubled. The new structure guarantees nine slots; a tenth team can join the party through a playoff route.

This report analyses the 2026 FIFA World Cup African qualifiers. There are insights into how each group unfolded and the stories that defined the campaign. The playoff route for a potential tenth team shall also be addressed.

The Road to History: Structure and Significance

The FIFA World Cup African qualifiers spanned almost two years. 53 out of the 54 recognised footballing nations by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) participated in the qualifiers. They were divided into nine groups, each playing matches in a home-and-away format. 

The group phase began on 15 November 2023 and was concluded on 14 October 2025. Currently, nine nations have booked their tickets to the US, Canada, and Mexico.

On the other hand, the four best runners-up earned a shot at redemption in a playoff tournament. The winner of the mini-tournament will then compete in the intercontinental playoff in March 2026.

Here’s an overview of each group and the team heading to the 2026 FIFA World Cup:

Group A: Egypt Returns to the Global Stage, Burkina Faso Misses Out On Best Runners-up Spot 

Egypt have qualified for the #FIFAWorldCup!@EgyptNT | #WeAre26 pic.twitter.com/MUyOoaaE6X

When the teams in group A were drawn, many fans expected Egypt to breeze through the group. The seven-time AFCON winners did just that, finishing the group unbeaten (8 wins, 2 draws). Burkina Faso secured second position after a 3-1 victory over Ethiopia on the last matchday. They, however, failed to become one of the four best runners-up, mainly because they accumulated 6 points from the bottom side, Djibouti. 

Group B: Senegal Makes It Three World Cup Appearances in a Row 

Senegal book their ticket to #FIFAWorldCup 26!#WeAre26 pic.twitter.com/7yBZS6zOMh

Over the last eight years, Senegal has emerged as a football powerhouse in Africa. The country has been ranked first on FIFA’s ranking of African teams on multiple occasions. Winning the AFCON in 2021 and qualifying for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups has cemented their dominance. 

However, the race to North America next year wasn’t easy for Senegal. They had a fierce battle with DR Congo for the automatic ticket, edging them by 2 points. DR still has a chance of joining Senegal, as they finished 2nd on the best second teams table.

Group C: Drama Until Matchday 10 

South Africa have qualified for #FIFAWorldCup 26!#WeAre26 pic.twitter.com/j6k9fbvKk9

This group had all the ingredients to create a blockbuster movie. Many sports journalists tipped Nigeria to top the group with a new generation of talents. However, a plot twist with South Africa and the Benin Republic made it a three-horse race. South Africa was docked 3 points for fielding an ineligible player, making the race more intriguing.

Benin Republic headed into the last game leading the group, but finished third when it was over. Their 4-0 defeat to Nigeria and South Africa’s 3-0 win against Rwanda meant South Africa picked up the ticket. The four goals were enough to secure Nigeria a playoff spot, and thanks to the fact that they earned a mere 2 points from Zimbabwe, who finished last. 

Group D: The Fairytale Story of Cape Verde 

HISTORY! Cabo Verde have qualified for their first ever #FIFAWorldCup!#WeAre26 pic.twitter.com/8oMiVZ2eP5

No African nation has made it to the FIFA World Cup more than Cameroon. The group on paper looked easy, and many anticipated a ninth appearance in 2026. Cape Verde, however, didn’t follow the script, creating a magical moment during the qualifiers. The “Blue Sharks” dominated the group, finishing with 23 points, four more than Cameroon’s 19 points. 

Cape Verde’s appearance will make it the second smallest country by population at a World Cup, coming behind Iceland. Cameroon, however, has a lifeline to join the party next year. Their good goal-scoring record helped them finish third on the table for second-placed teams. 

Group E: Morocco Perfect Record, Eritrea Pulls Out Of Qualifiers

MOROCCO ARE #U20WC CHAMPIONS!#LegendsInTheMaking pic.twitter.com/kGw3slIssc

Morocco made history at the last edition in Qatar, becoming the first African nation to reach the semi-finals. It seems they were in a hurry to build on the feat, as they qualified with two games to spare. They, therefore, were the first African nation to secure a World Cup ticket.

The major talking point of this group was, however, Eritrea pulling out a few days before their first game in the group.. 

Eritrea’s withdrawal changed the shape of the second-placed table. CAF decided to exclude the sixth-place results when comparing runners-up to make things fair for whoever finished second in Group E (as they played 8 games compared to the 10 from other groups). 

Group F: Ivory Coast and Gabon Fight Until the Last Whistle, Seychelles Fail to Secure A Point 

Côte d’Ivoire secure their spot at #FIFAWorldCup 26!#WeAre26 pic.twitter.com/9K9DbvpbEG

Reigning African Champions, the Ivory Coast, had to wait until the final day to confirm qualification to next year’s showpiece. This was redemption, as they missed the 2018 and 2022 editions. Ivory Coast ended the African qualifiers with the best attacking and defensive record. They found the net 25 times and conceded none. 

Chasing the Ivory Coast throughout the campaign was Gabon. They gave it all they had, but it wasn’t enough to secure the automatic. However, they finished first on the runners-up table. 

Seychelles was another record breaker in the group. The nation lost all ten games, scoring twice and conceding 53 goals.

Group G: Algeria End 12 Year Absence 

Algeria have qualified for #FIFAWorldCup 26!#WeAre26 pic.twitter.com/COfOD6dzRG

The 2014 FIFA World Cup was memorable for Algeria as it was the first time they made it out of the group stage. The Round of 16 match was a spectacle, as they forced Germany (eventual winners) into extra time. Algeria, however, has not qualified since then.

The qualification round was always going to be easy, as they were paired with Uganda and other minnows. Algeria’s qualification was confirmed with a game to spare. 

Group H: Tunisia Cruise to 7th Appearance, Equatorial Guinea Suffers Point Deduction

Tunisia have qualified for #FIFAWorldCup 26!#WeAre26 pic.twitter.com/gVaMjocGjK

The road to the FIFA 2026 World Cup was smooth for Tunisia. The nation gathered the most points during qualification, topping Group H with 28 points (9 wins, 1 draw). Like the Ivorians, they remarkably conceded none. 

One of the major talking points of the group was “Emilio Nsue”. You probably know him from winning the Golden Boot at the 2023 AFCON. In May 2024, FIFA declared that Nsue was ineligible to play for Equatorial Guinea. The governing body said Nsue never got clearance to finalise his switch from Spain, which he played for at the youth level. The wins against Namibia and Liberia were nullified, and the points were awarded to both nations.

Group I: Ghana!

Ghana have qualified for #FIFAWorldCup 26!#WeAre26 pic.twitter.com/VwZc0EqKlB

Since their  World Cup debut in Germany 2006, Ghana has qualified for five of the last six tournaments, except for 2018.  They finished top of Group I with 25 points, scoring 23 goals, one of the best tallies in the qualifiers.

A moment to remember 5️⃣#BlackStars || #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/gEbe57ijt3

The nation has provided classic matches since 2006, and we can only expect more when the tournament kicks off next year. 

The Morocco Playoff: One More Ticket Up for Grabs?

While nine nations have already booked their flights to North America, the dream is still alive for one more. Next month, Morocco will host a four-team playoff featuring the best group runners-up—Gabon, DR Congo, Cameroon, and Nigeria. With so much on the line, fans are already watching the odds shift across sports betting platforms as the continent’s final ticket to North America hangs in the balance.

The format is simple: two semi-finals (Gabon vs Nigeria and DR Congo vs Cameroon) and a final. The winner of the mini-tournament will head to an intercontinental playoff scheduled for March 2026 in  Mexico.