This week, Morocco, which is led by Ballon d’Or nominee Achraf Hakimi, could become the first African team to qualify for the World Cup in 2026.
Without the Atlas Lions’ unassailable lead in Group E, which would only exist if they won on matchday 7 against Niger in Rabat.
However, a triumph for Tanzania will most likely only cause Morocco to finish in the 2022 World Cup semi-finals.
In Ndola, Morocco will travel to the country on September 8 for a match against Zambia, and if they win, they will need just one point to win the expanded 48-nation global showpiece.
The Moroccans are top of the table with 15 points from five matches in a mini-league that was reduced from six to five before matchday 1.
Without any use, Tanzania has nine points, followed by Zambia and Niger, who each have six, and Congo, who temporarily withdrawn after violating government orders to give them three walkovers.
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Hakimi, a Paris Saint-Germain defender who enjoys combining attacking and defensive play, is considered one of the best right-backs in the world.
In the 5-0 win over Inter Milan in the Champions League, he scored the opening goal for PSG to win the 2024-25 competition. Hakimi also played for the team that won the Club World Cup after finishing second to Chelsea.
Prior to the final club season, Hakimi led Morocco to bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games men’s football competition in third place and third place.
One of the 30 nominees for the 2025 Ballon d’Or is him along with Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Borussia Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy.
He told the Moroccan media, “My dream is to win a trophy with Morocco, either the World Cup or the Africa Cup of Nations.”
Morocco will begin hosting the 2025 Cup of Nations on December 21 as the hosts of the first-ever African Cup of Nations held there since 1976.
a good fit for Egypt
Egypt, led by Salah, is yet another excellent candidate to join the top 48 nations traveling to the US, Canada, and Mexico in June.
First place would be secured by Group A victories over Burkinabe in Ouagadougou and Ethiopia in Cairo.
After FIFA approved renovations to the national August 4 stadium, Burkinabe will look to recent Brentford signing Dango Ouattara for goals.
Nigeria, which qualified for the World Cup with a proud record, has only missed two editions since making their 1994 US debut, when they dominated a group before losing to Italy in the second round.
Three years ago, the Super Eagles lost a play-off game to fierce rivals Ghana thanks to away goals, but they were unable to win the previous World Cup in Qatar.
The star-studded Super Eagles have lost just one of their six games and are now fourth in Group C, six points clear of South Africa’s pacesetters.
Victor Osimhen, a star striker and former African Footballer of the Year, told reporters, “We are desperate to qualify this time.”
If we are unable to feature in a World Cup, Nigerians will still be praising us for being a talented generation.
Our squad is full of stars from Europe’s top leagues, but that alone does not guarantee success. There must be merit to be earned.
Nigeria travels to South Africa for a showdown that will likely have a significant impact on the final placings, hosting Rwanda, the only nation they have defeated so far.
Ghana are enjoying a successful World Cup campaign following their humiliating elimination from the Cup of Nations qualifying group and their failure to advance to the 2025 competition.
The Black Stars will face bottom-placed Chad and host Mali in Group I, and if they win, they could make it to the second World Cup.
Inaki Williams of Athletic Bilbao and Antoine Semenyo of Bournemouth are among Coach Otto Addo’s embarrassment at attacking wealthy people.
With only six matches left, Mali were seeded to win the group and enter the World Cup for the first time, but they only managed six victories overall and are six points clear of Ghana.
Matchday 7 begins on Wednesday, followed by Matchday 8 from Sunday. October 8 through October 14 is when the final two rounds are scheduled. The World Cup will be held for each of the nine group winners.
Source: Channels TV
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