Historic, heartbreaking, hopeful: Has Africa taken the next step at the 2026 World Cup?

A record nine African nations reached the knockout stage at the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup, but as the tournament enters its final stretch, only Morocco remains in contention after Egypt's dramatic exit to Argentina. So, what should we make of Africa's overall performance? In this episode recorded before Egypt's Round of 16 clash and Morocco's quarterfinal against France, we look back at the highs, the heartbreaks and the lessons from a historic campaign, and discuss why so many African teams came close, what held them back, and whether the continent is edging closer to producing a genuine World Cup contender.