Nine (9) nations have secured their tickets to the global football tournament, FIFA 2026 World Cup, following the wrap-up of the CAF qualification campaign. global showpiece in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

The World Cup qualifiers delivered an exciting blend of comeback tales and breakthroughs. Cape Verde made it this time, marking their maiden participation, a feat they describe as the second-best thing to happen to their nation aside from independence, being the second-smallest nation to ever qualify for the tournament. Their new record is reminiscent of Iceland’s trailblazing run in 2018.

On the other hand, Ivory Coast and South Africa secured long-awaited returns to the global stage, while established powerhouses like Senegal, Morocco, and Tunisia once again proved their dominance, highlighting the growing competitiveness and maturity of African football on the world scene.

The Black Stars of Ghana made history, qualifying for a fifth World Cup, led by former player Otto Addo.

So far, the confirmed nations that have officially been named among the qualifiers include Ghana Black Stars, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Ghana, South Africa, and Cape Verde. With some of the top national teams set to compete at the global showpiece, the expectations would be high.

Morocco reached the semi-finals at the 2022 edition and made Africa very proud. Hopefully, one of the nine qualified national teams would match that feat or even go a step closer to playing in the final. President John Dramani Mahama hopes the Black Stars will aim higher beyond their qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He has urged the team to emulate Morocco and, in broader terms, envision doing more.

President Mahama cited Morocco as a model because they made history at the 2022 FIFA World Cup by becoming the first African nation to reach the semi-finals.

Ghana sealed their place at the 2026 World Cup with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Comoros courtesy of a decisive goal from Mohammed Kudus in their final Group I qualifier at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday, October 12, marking the country’s fifth appearance at football’s biggest tournament.

Referring to an unforgettable situation in the history of Ghana football, where Asamoah’s penalty miss cost Ghana’s place in the semi-finals, he urged the team,

“We must follow in the footsteps of Morocco by going beyond the semi-finals and, who knows, with fingers crossed, bring the World Cup trophy home to make Ghana and Africa proud”.

He further went on to call on Ghanaians to support the team without any bias.

“We must all rally behind the Black Stars. We must support them to the hilt. Let’s not bring in any partisan or ethnic considerations. Let’s give them our full support,” he added.

The Black Stars will discover their group-stage opponents during the World Cup draw on December 5, 2025, at the John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

Following a group-stage exit at their previous World Cup in Qatar, Ghana now hopes to make a lasting impact in the 2026 tournament, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino congratulated Ghana for securing its ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Meanwhile, German manufacturer Adidas, which has been designing World Cup balls since the 1970 tournament, has once again produced the official match ball for the upcoming FIFA 2026 World Cup.

Named Trionda, the ball was officially unveiled on Thursday, October 2, during a global launch event at Brooklyn Bridge Park in New York City. The presentation, hosted jointly by FIFA and Adidas, showcased the ball’s design, technology, and symbolic meaning.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino, during the unveiling of the ball, said, “The Official Match Ball for the FIFA World Cup 26 is here, and it’s a beauty! “I am delighted and proud to present the Trionda.”

Trionda, originating from Spanish, is interpreted as “tri” (three) and “onda” (wave), which signifies the three host countries of the global tournament. Trionda stuns with an aesthetic design which has representations from all three host countries, Canada, Mexico, and the USA, with features including Red panels with maple leaves for Canada, green panels with eagle motifs for Mexico and blue panels with stars for the USA. It also has a central triangle formed by the panel seams, symbolising unity.

Less visible are technological advancements that include deep seams designed to produce “optimal in-flight stability” and embossed icons that improve grip in wet or humid conditions.

A motion sensor chip will relay information on the ball’s movement, sending data to the video assistant referee (VAR) system. Trionda also has micro-embossed icons for enhanced grip in varied climates. It has been tested across all 16 host cities for altitude, humidity, and temperature

Adidas earned praise from Infantino for its iconic creation. He said, “Adidas has created another iconic FIFA World Cup ball, with a design that embodies the unity and passion of next year’s host nations: Canada, Mexico, and the United States.”

Infantinno added, “I can’t wait to see this beautiful ball hitting the back of the net. The countdown to the greatest FIFA World Cup ever is on, and the ball is rolling!”

About 2026 FIFA World Cup

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature 48 countries, making it the largest World Cup in history. This comes after the football governing body allowed more countries from Africa, Asia, and CONCACAF to qualify, increasing global representation. Previously, the tournament was open to just 32 teams; however, sixteen (16) more teams have been included.The tournament will feature a total of one hundred and four (104) games across 16 cities, with 12 groups of 4 teams each in the group stage. The knockout stage will begin with a new Round of 32.

The unveiling marks another step in the countdown to the North American World Cup, which will be held June 11-July 19 next year.

FIFA has launched its online phased ticket sales procedures, with more than 4.5 million fans from 216 countries and territories entering the presale draw.

The tournament draw will be held in Washington on December 5.