Egypt Qualifies For 2026 World Cup With Convincing Win Over Djibouti

Egypt Qualifies For 2026 World Cup With Convincing Win Over Djibouti

Egypt booked their place at the 2026 World Cup with a commanding 3-0 victory over Djibouti in Casablanca on Wednesday, putting them out of reach at the top of Group A. The North African side took control early, with Ibrahim Adel opening the scoring in the eighth minute. Egypt doubled their lead shortly after, and a late goal in the 84th minute sealed the win, giving them an unassailable five-point lead over Burkina Faso. The win caps a successful qualifying campaign that has seen Egypt consistently dominate opponents. Despite their record seven Africa Cup of Nations titles, the Pharaohs have historically struggled at the World Cup, qualifying only in 1934, 1990, 2018, and now 2026. The result sets up a strong foundation for Egypt as they prepare for their next challenge on football’s biggest stage, hoping to improve on past World Cup performances and make a significant impact in the tournament. Elsewhere in African qualifying, Ghana strengthened their position in Group I with a 5-0 win over the Central African Republic, while Cape Verde kept their dream alive with a dramatic 3-3 draw against Libya, leading Group D ahead of Cameroon. With Egypt now confirmed for the 2026 World Cup, attention will shift to the remaining spots as other African nations battle it out for a place in the intercontinental play-offs next year.  

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French coach Deschamps to step down after 2026 World Cup

France’s 2018 World Cup-winning coach Didier Deschamps announced on Wednesday he will leave his post after the 2026 World Cup in North America. “I have been there since 2012, it is planned that I will be there until 2026,” Deschamps told French broadcaster TF1 on Wednesday. “I have done my time, with the same desire, the same passion to keep the France team at the highest level, but 2026 is good,” he added. Deschamps led the French team ‘Les Bleus’ to the 2018 World Cup title, becoming only the third man to win the football tournament as a player and a manager. He took over from Laurent Blanc in 2012 and has taken France to three major finals in total, losing the Euro 2016 final to Portugal and the 2022 World Cup showpiece to Argentina. Deschamps was captain when Les Bleus won their first World Cup on home soil in 1998. The 56-year-old has already set the record for longest-serving official France coach. European qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada, gets under way later this year. Zinedine Zidane, who won the 1998 World Cup as a player alongside Deschamps, has long been tipped as the favourite to eventually replace him in the dugout. Now 52, Zidane has been lying in wait since ending his second spell as coach of Real Madrid in 2021. One of France’s greatest ever players, he won the Champions League three times with Madrid but has not managed any other club. “Nobody is irreplaceable,” admitted Deschamps. “I have tried to be as indispensable as possible with the results that you know, but that is behind us now.” Zidane’s shadow will continue to hang over the France team in the coming months, as they prepare for their next matches, beginning with a two-legged Nations League quarter-final in March against Croatia.

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