Morocco and two other African countries can shock the World Cup – Ex-Super Eagles star declares

Former Super Eagles and Nice defender Onyekachi Apam has weighed in on the chances of African nations ahead of the highly anticipated 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Anticipation is already reaching a fever pitch for the tournament, which will make history as the first-ever edition to be jointly hosted by three nations: the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

The 2026 showpiece features a historic expansion from 32 to 48 teams, a structural change that has directly increased Africa’s representation from five to ten nations and dramatically boosted the continent's chances of claiming its first-ever world title.

While several traditional powerhouses have safely navigated the qualifiers, Cape Verde is set to make a historic World Cup debut, while the Democratic Republic of Congo has secured its first appearance at the tournament since 1974.

However, the expansion brought no joy to Nigeria, as the Super Eagles failed to qualify after an agonising aggregate loss to DR Congo in the CAF playoff final, marking their second consecutive absence from the global stage following their failure to reach Qatar in 2022.

Despite Nigeria’s absence, Apam firmly believes that the continent's elite have the quality to shock the world on North American soil.

Speaking to Yankee Scores, the former centre-back pointed to 2022 semifinalists Morocco as the undisputed torchbearers for the continent.

“For me, Morocco are the best African team at the moment. Yeah, it's possible,” Apam asserted when asked if an African side could improve upon the Atlas Lions' historic fourth-place finish in Qatar.

The former Olympic silver medallist did not limit his optimism to the North Africans. Apam identified the star-studded Senegal squad, anchored by veteran forward Sadio Mané and Iliman Ndiaye, alongside a rejuvenated Ivory Coast team coming fresh off a statement 2-1 friendly victory over France.

“Senegal and Ivory Coast, I believe, can as well,” Apam concluded confidently. With the tournament scheduled to kick off with an African representative in action as South Africa squares off against co-hosts Mexico in the opening match, the stage is perfectly set for Apam's bold predictions to be put to the ultimate test.