Apam Tips Morocco, Senegal and Ivory Coast to Shock the World at 2026 FIFA World Cup

Nigeria may have fallen at the final qualifying hurdle, but former international defender Onyekachi Apam believes the 2026 FIFA World Cup — set to be staged across the United States, Mexico, and Canada — presents a genuine opportunity for African football to reach new heights.

Apam, who earned an Olympic silver medal with Nigeria at the 2008 Beijing Games, where he was notably pictured challenging Lionel Messi in the final, shared his assessment in an interview with Yankee Scores. Speaking ahead of a tournament that marks several historic milestones, the former centre-back made clear his belief that the continent’s top sides are equipped to cause serious damage on North American soil.

At the centre of his optimism is Morocco. The Atlas Lions, who made history by becoming the first African nation to reach a FIFA World Cup semi-final at Qatar 2022 — ultimately finishing fourth — are Apam’s pick as the continent’s standard-bearers. “For me, Morocco are the best African team at the moment. Yeah, it’s possible,” he stated when asked whether an African side could surpass that landmark achievement in 2026.

Beyond Morocco, Apam extended his confidence to two further sides. Senegal, bolstered by the presence of seasoned forward Sadio Mané alongside Iliman Ndiaye, earned a specific mention, as did Ivory Coast, who arrived at the tournament on the back of an encouraging 2-1 friendly victory over France. “Senegal and Ivory Coast, I believe, can as well,” Apam added.

The backdrop to these predictions includes a significant structural change to the tournament itself. The 2026 edition has expanded from 32 to 48 participating teams — a move that has directly increased Africa’s allocation from five to ten berths, substantially widening the continent’s pathway to glory. Among those taking advantage of the enlarged field are Cape Verde, who will make their historic World Cup debut, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, returning to the tournament for the first time since 1974.

For Nigeria, however, the expansion offered no redemption. The Super Eagles were eliminated in the CAF playoff final following an aggregate defeat to DR Congo, extending their absence from the World Cup to back-to-back tournaments after they also failed to qualify for Qatar 2022. It is against that painful backdrop that Apam, himself a product of Nigerian football’s more decorated era, offered his continental assessment.

The 2026 World Cup gets underway with an immediate African involvement, as South Africa face co-hosts Mexico in the tournament’s opening fixture — a scheduling detail that places the continent in the spotlight from the very first kick. With ten African nations in contention across what will be the most expansive World Cup in history, the platform exists for Apam’s predictions to be validated over the course of the summer.