Productive Liverpool scorer and Egypt chief Mohamed Salah will be among the stars in real life this week when 2026 World Cup qualifying in Africa starts off with two matchdays.
His two Chief Association objectives against Brentford at the end of the week raised his all out to 200 in English football, and he is presently set to sparkle against Gathering An opponents Djibouti and Sierra Leone.
Salah was the second most elevated positioned African in the Ballon d’Or last month behind Napoli and Nigeria forward Victor Osimhen, who misses the first matchdays because of a physical issue.
Omar Marmoush of Eintracht Frankfurt and Mostafa Mohamed of Nantes are different Egyptians who have been scoring routinely in significant European associations this season.
Djibouti, who face Egypt in Cairo on Thursday, are among the most vulnerable African public groups and have two times experienced eight-objective hidings in World Cup qualifiers.
Sierra Leone will be impeded at organizing a home apparatus against Egypt on Sunday in Liberia since they miss the mark on global standard arena.
Egypt have won the Africa Cup of Countries a record multiple times, however battle in World Cup qualifying, arriving at the finals just multiple times, contrasted and eight appearances by Cameroon.
The most grounded challenge to Salah and his partners could emerge out of Burkina Faso, positioned tenth in Africa, five spots beneath Egypt. Guinea-Bissau and Ethiopia are the other Gathering A competitors.
Nigeria should manage without Osimhen, one of the top choices to win the CAF Footballer of the Year grant one month from now, and harmed AC Milan winger Samuel Chukwueze against Lesotho and Zimbabwe.
Yet, Portuguese mentor Jose Peseiro has numerous gifted substitutions to browse, including Victor Boniface of Bayer Leverkusen and Taiwo Awoniyi of Nottingham Backwoods.
There are concerns, in any case, about the Super Birds’ protection with Cyprus-based goalkeeper Francis Uzoho experiencing harsh criticism for his exhibitions in two late amicable matches.
Zimbabwe are back in global football after a FIFA boycott for government impedance forestalled them contending in 2024 Cup of Countries qualifying.
They are among 17 African nations who can’t play at home either due to unsatisfactory arenas or security concerns and will have Nigeria in the Rwandan city of Butare.
South Africa are viewed as the greatest dangers to Nigeria in Gathering C, yet will handle Benin at home and Rwanda away short star Lyle Encourage.
The Burnley forward and just South African in the Chief Association has been sidelined by the repeat of an emotional well-being issue.
Previous Chief Association director Chris Hughton concedes he is feeling the squeeze as Ghana mentor in front of qualifiers at home to Madagascar and away to the Comoros.
“They are two games we should do well in,” he said in the midst of media requires his excusal after a four-objective cordial concealing by the US a month ago.
Veteran Andre ‘Dede’ Ayew, who joined Ligue 1 outfit Le Havre last end of the week, has been reviewed, however a physical issue precludes another midfielder, Thomas Partey from Armory.
Last December in Qatar Morocco turned into the principal World Cup semi-finalists from Africa, however they won’t be associated with matchday one as adversaries Eritrea pulled out without a clarification.
So Saudi Arabia-based goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, Paris Holy person Germain protector Achraf Hakimi and Sevilla forward Youssef en-Nesyri go right into it for the Map book Lions just next Tuesday.
Their late section into qualifying will be away to Tanzania in Gathering E, which additionally incorporates resurgent Zambia, Congo Brazzaville and Niger, who are set to recruit Moroccan mentor Badou Zaki.
The nine gathering champs after 260 qualifiers that stretch to October 2025 fit the bill for the record 48 country finals in the US, Canada and Mexico.
There could be a tenth African qualifier as the best four other participants enter a small competition and the champs advance to between mainland end of the season games with two finals places available to anyone.
