Mohamed Salah Leads Egypt to 2026 FIFA World Cup Berth Win Over Djibouti
Mohamed Salah delivered when it mattered most. The Liverpool star scored twice as Egypt punched their ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 3-0 win over Djibouti in Casablanca on Wednesday, clinching qualification with a game to spare.
Egypt entered the match knowing one victory from their final two qualifiers would be enough to lock up first place in Group A. Hossam Hassan’s squad wasted no time. Ibrahim Adel opened the scoring just eight minutes in, heading home a cross from Zizo, before Salah doubled the lead minutes later with a calm finish after connecting with Trezeguet’s through ball.
Salah — whose club form has been under the microscope this season — looked sharp throughout. He came close to adding another before halftime, curling a shot just over the bar and nearly setting up a goal when Mostafa Mohamed’s effort from his cross struck the post.
The tempo slowed in the second half, but the Egyptian captain wasn’t done. Late in the match, he produced a touch of class with a first-time lob to seal the 3-0 victory and Egypt’s place on football’s biggest stage.
With the win, the Pharaohs became the third African nation to qualify for the expanded 48-team World Cup, joining regional rivals Morocco and Tunisia. Despite a record seven Africa Cup of Nations titles, Egypt has struggled to translate continental dominance into World Cup success, having appeared just three times before — in 1934, 1990, and 2018.
Elsewhere in Group A, Burkina Faso secured second place thanks to Mohamed Zougrana’s goal in a 1-0 win over Sierra Leone. The Stallions remain in contention for a playoff spot as one of the four best runners-up.
Across Africa, Cape Verde’s bid for a first-ever World Cup appearance was delayed after a wild 3-3 draw in Libya, despite rallying from two goals down. In Group E, Niger and Zambia kept their faint hopes alive with wins over Congo-Brazzaville and Tanzania, though both will likely fall short of playoff qualification.
Next up, Algeria can become the fourth African nation to qualify on Thursday if they defeat Somalia on the road.
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