Morocco became the first African nation to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after thrashing Niger 5-0 in Rabat on Friday.Ismael Saibari scored twice, while Ayoub El Kaabi, Hamza Igamane and Azzedine Ounahi also found the net as the Atlas Lions extended their perfect qualifying record to six wins from six.
Tanzania were the only team still capable of catching them in Group E, but their 1-1 draw with Congo earlier in the day confirmed Morocco’s place at the top with 18 points, eight clear of their nearest rivals.
The North Africans, who famously reached the semi-finals at Qatar 2022, have underlined their dominance as the continent’s top-ranked side and remain the only African team with a 100% record in the qualifiers.
