Ivory Coast kicked off their World Cup qualifying campaign with a goal spree, securing a 9-0 victory at home against Seychelles in Group F.
Teenage striker Karim Konate and substitute Hamed Traore each scored twice, contributing to a dominant performance that could have seen a larger margin if not for some impressive saves by Seychelles’ goalkeeper Carlos Simoen.
Tunisia claimed a 4-0 victory at home against Sao Tome e Principe in Group H, with captain Youssef Msakni among the scorers. Cameroon, the African nation with the most World Cup appearances, had to work for a 3-0 win against Mauritius in Group D, with Bryan Mbuemo opening the scoring just before halftime.
Ghana faced a challenging home game against Madagascar in Group I, finally breaking the deadlock with a goal from former Spain international Inaki Williams in the sixth minute of stoppage time. In the same group, the Comoros Islands secured a 4-2 win against the Central African Republic at home in Moroni.
Debutant Youssoufou Niakate scored as Mali beat Chad 3-1 in Bamako in Group I. Patson Daka netted twice as Zambia fought back from a 2-1 deficit to win 4-2 against Congo in Group E. Guinea claimed a 2-1 victory over Uganda in Group G, with Seydouba Cisse scoring in stoppage time.
Eswatini hosted their Group D clash against Libya in Nelspruit, South Africa, losing 1-0 with Ahmed Ekrawa scoring the only goal. Malawi secured a 1-0 away win in Liberia, and Guinea Bissau held Burkina Faso to a 1-1 draw in Group A.
The first round of matches in the African zone will conclude with three additional qualifiers on Saturday, with nine groups in total. The group winners qualify for the 2026 finals, and the four best runners-up will have an additional chance in a two-tier playoff system.
