Liverpool star Mohamed Salah scored twice as Egypt secured a 3-0 win over Djibouti in Casablanca on Wednesday, sealing their spot at the 2026 World Cup
The 33-year-old forward now has nine goals in a grueling qualifying campaign that started two years ago. The victory gave Egypt an unassailable five-point lead over Burkina Faso in Group A.
Salah, twice African Footballer of the Year, helped Liverpool claim a record-equalling 20th Premier League title last season and won the Golden Boot with 29 goals. However, he has struggled for form this season, scoring just three goals in nine appearances for the club.
Egypt’s Ibrahim Adel opened the scoring in the eighth minute, before Salah doubled the lead six minutes later. He added a second goal in the 84th minute to wrap up the win.
Egypt, seven-time Africa Cup of Nations champions, have historically struggled at the World Cup, qualifying only four times—in 1934, 1990, 2018, and now 2026.
Elsewhere, Ghana continued their dominant qualifying run, thrashing the Central African Republic 5-0 in Meknes. Thomas Partey, Mohammed Salisu, Alexander Djiku, captain Jordan Ayew, and Kamaldeen Sulemana scored for the Black Stars, who now need just a point against Comoros in their final Group I match to qualify. Ghana lead the group with 22 points, well ahead of second-placed Madagascar.
In Group D, Cape Verde came from two goals down to draw 3-3 with Libya in Tripoli, keeping their hopes of a first World Cup appearance alive. The Blue Sharks, a nation of just 550,000, remain two points ahead of Cameroon. They will face Eswatini in Praia on Monday, with victory enough to clinch top spot.
Cameroon beat Mauritius 2-0 in Saint-Pierre thanks to Nicolas Moumi Ngamaleu and Bryan Mbeumo’s added-time strike. The Indomitable Lions will finish their campaign at home against Angola and must win to have a chance at direct qualification. Should Cape Verde top the group, Cameroon would aim to secure a play-off spot as one of the four best-ranked runners-up.
Eswatini salvaged a 2-2 draw with Angola after squandering a two-goal lead, with goals from Justice Figuareido. Angola, coached by Patrice Beaumelle in his first match since replacing Pedro Goncalves, pulled one back through Jonathan Buatu, with Papel Ary equalizing late for the hosts.
The African qualifiers will culminate in a mini-tournament featuring single-match semi-finals and a final, with the winners progressing to the six-nation intercontinental play-offs next March for two World Cup spots.
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