For the first time ever, Africa will have at least nine representatives at the World Cup, but are the continent's tournament hopefuls actually contenders to go the distance in the United States, Canada and Mexico, or are they just there to make up the numbers?
Here's ESPN's far-too-early ranking of Africa's nine guaranteed tournament qualifiers, although that number would become 10 if the Democratic Republic of Congo prevail in the inter-confederation playoffs in March.
To determine this list, we've evaluated each of the nine teams across five different categories; the quality of their qualifying campaign, their World Cup pedigree, their current FIFA world ranking, the quality of their squad and the quality of their coach.
READ: Familiar faces await Africa's teams after interesting World Cup draw
9. Cape Verde
Score: 26/50
An historic first ever qualification saw the islanders become the second smallest nation ever to reach the World Cup.
However, while they'll be an enthralling addition to the tournament, they look like the weakest African qualifier, and surely benefitted - to no small degree - from Cameroon's internal meltdown over the last few years.
In terms of World Cup pedigree, there's obviously none, while their world ranking of 71 globally is the second lowest of all qualifiers (ahead of only Ghana).
Head coach Bubista deserves immense credit for maturing the national side over the last five years, particularly tapping into the country's expansive Diaspora in Portugal, although his technically proficient squad is short of star power and - beyond veterans Ryan Mendes and Garry Rodrigues - match-winners.
8. South Africa
Score: 31/50
Their first successful qualification campaign since 2001 certainly deserves acknowledgement, and head coach Hugo Broos - an Africa Cup of Nations winner with Cameroon in 2017 - ought to receive more praise for the way he has improved Bafana Bafana since taking the helm in 2021.
They qualified ahead of Nigeria, a whole process which would have been much easier had they not been docked three points for fielding an ineligible player for the routine victory over Lesotho in March.
They're 59th in the FIFA world rankings -- they'll be clear outsiders to advance from their group at the World Cup even with their favourable draw -- but a squad built around the domestically dominant Mamelodi Sundowns side will relish the prospect of testing themselves against the world's finest, as they did with some conviction at the Club World Cup this year.
Ghana manager Otto Addo discusses his side's fate after being drawn against Panama, England and Croatia.
7. Ghana
Score: 33/50
Ghana are perhaps the toughest team to evaluate, given their disastrous failure to reach the AFCON, finishing bottom of a group containing Niger, Sudan and Angola, before they bounced back in style to reach the World Cup.
Qualification was functional rather than flashy. They suffered a 1-0 defeat in Comoros on gameweek two, but didn't look back after that, with Otto Addo beginning to get the best of this squad, taking 22 of the next 24 available points.
There's considerable creative and attacking talent with the likes of Mohammed Kudus, Antoine Semenyo and Kamaldeen Sulemana, but an over-reliance on Jordan Ayew for goals may not cut it against the world's best.
The 34-year-old, currently plying his trade with Leicester City in the EFL Championship, scored seven during qualification. But maybe his experience will count when they have to face England?
6. Tunisia
Score: 33/50
Tunisia cruised through qualification, winning all but one of their matches -- although, as we've seen in the past, they typically make precious little impact on the world stage once there.
This is their seventh qualification, but they've win just three of 18 matches and never escaped from the group.
Their qualification campaign bodes well; they went unbeaten, dropping points in just one match -- a 0-0 draw with Namibia -- and didn't concede a single goal across their ten qualifying games.
Sami Trabelsi, who won over 80 caps for the Carthage Eagles as a central defender, has been at the helm since earlier this year, although his previous stint with the national side resulted in a first round exit at the 2013 Nations Cup.
The veterans of the last World Cup -- Ferjani Sassi, Aïssa Laïdouni and Naïm Sliti -- remain prominent, but will the North Africans find an attacking threat to match their defensive steel?
Ed Dove discusses Tunisia's chances of progression from Group F as they face tough opponents Japan, The Netherlands and a UEFA play off winner.
5. Algeria
Score: 34/50
They're not the side they were under Djamel Belmadi, as they won the Nations Cup in 2019, embarked on a record-setting undefeated streak, and then collapsed miserable at the next AFCON in 2022, but there's still enough about Algeria to take them seriously next year.
Now, former Switzerland head coach Vladimir Petkovic is at the helm, bringing a little more organisation and calmness to the fold, although it remains to be seen whether he's truly a good fit for the Fennecs.
Riyad Mahrez remains the star attraction, although, in a squad full of ageing heads, 25-year-old Mohamed Amoura has steadily grown into a genuine threat at international level. The Wolfsburg man was top scorer for Africa during qualification with 10, and could be a breakout star next year.
4. Egypt
Score: 35/50
Considering their successes at a continental level, Egypt's World Cup pedigree is utterly underwhelming, with only three previous appearances, no progress to the knockouts, and not even a single victory to show for all of their talent over the years.
In 2026, they have the chance to make amends, and a solid squad -- lifted by Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush -- will fancy their chances of escaping to the group stage.
For Salah, it's an opportunity to finally leave his mark on the tournament after injury limited his impact in 2018, while the arrival of new head coach Hossam Hassan, the country's all-time top scorer, adds another intriguing element to this squad.
The 59-year-old is an experienced head coach, but has rarely been tested outside his home country, let alone the Middle East.
3. Ivory Coast
Score: 37/50
Africa's reigning champions return to the World Cup for the first time in over a decade, and while this side is no longer the 'Golden Generation' of yesteryear, they ought not be taken lightly when they rub shoulders with the big boys next summer.
The roster is strong, with Franck Kessié, Seko Fofana and Ibrahim Sangaré representing a strong midfield fulcrum, while the likes of Simon Adingra, Amad Diallo and Sébastien Haller provide flair and a cutting edge up top.
Emerse Fae may be an inexperienced coach, but his remarkable heroics on home soil as the Elephants came back from the dead to win last year's Nations Cup have engendered enormous good will back home.
He nonetheless oversaw an impressive qualifying campaign, with only four points dropped out of a possible 30, and a cagey, disciplined 0-0 draw in Franceville to hold second-placed Gabon at bay.
2. Senegal
Score: 38/50
Senegal, who reached the Last 16 at the last World Cup, again are looking like one of the continent's strongest contenders.
Many of that same squad will still be present, including 2019 Africa Cup of Nations winners Sadio Mané, Kalidou Koulibaly and Édouard Mendy, while the likes of Nicolas Jackson, Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaïla Sarr give the Teranga Lions diverse options in attack.
There are still some question marks about the inexperienced head coach Pape Thiaw, who replaced the legendary Aliou Cisse just under a year ago, although he did oversee an excellent qualifying campaign.
Admittedly, the Teranga Lions started slowly, drawing three of their first five matches, but took maximum points thereafter including September's crunch 3-2 victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo in Kinshasa.
Sam Ogunleye and Ed Dove discuss the strength of Morocco's squad as well as the potential to defeat group favourites Brazil.
1. Morocco
Score: 44/50
Comfortably the outstanding side out of Africa's nine qualifiers, Morocco scored particularly highly for their magnificent qualifying campaign, where they became the first African team in history to go through the entirety of a World Cup qualifying programme with a 100-percent record, winning every match.
The 2026 World Cup will be their seventh tournament -- only Cameroon have more from an African perspective -- while their run to the semifinals in 2022 was an unprecedented achievement for a side from the continent.
Much of that squad still remain, along with experienced and tactically savvy Walid Regragui, with Achraf Hakimi arguably the outstanding African player in the world today.
Morocco currently sit 11th in the FIFA World Rankings, the highest of any African team, and in this current cycle, they've been comfortably the continent's best.
