2026 FIFA World Cup: Marcel Desailly on Africa’s Football Growth & Challenges

As the global football community turns its gaze toward the historic 2026 FIFA World Cup—the first to feature 48 teams, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada—a powerful narrative of evolution is unfolding from the African continent. Marcel Desailly, the legendary French defender and 1998 World Cup winner, offers a profound and nuanced perspective. Speaking during the Coca-Cola FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour in Abidjan, Desailly acknowledged the significant strides African football has made while candidly outlining the structural work required to convert potential into sustained global dominance. His insights serve as both a validation of progress and a roadmap for the future.

Introduction: A Continent at a Crossroads

The allocation of nine guaranteed slots to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for the 2026 World Cup is not merely a numerical increase; it is a symbolic recognition of Africa’s growing footballing footprint. For Marcel Desailly, this expansion is both “deserved and inspiring.” His commentary bridges the gap between the celebrated individual talents now lighting up European leagues and the systemic infrastructure challenges that persist across the African game. This article dissects Desailly’s analysis, exploring the dual reality of African football: a powerhouse of raw talent facing a critical juncture in its development pathway.

Key Points: Desailly’s Core Arguments

• Growth is Evident: Desailly unequivocally states that African football has “grown quite a lot,” citing the proliferation of African players as first-choice starters in top European clubs as the primary evidence.
• Expansion is Justified: The increase to nine World Cup slots for Africa is seen as a fair reflection of the continent’s competitive depth and potential.
• New benchmarks are Set: Morocco’s semi-final run at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar has reshaped belief, proving that African teams can challenge for the tournament’s latter stages.
• Structural Challenges Remain: The core problem lies in player development. African academies and domestic leagues are often not equipped to nurture and retain talent before their premature export to Europe.
• The “Early Exodus” Problem: Too many young African players move abroad too soon, unprepared for the elite level, leading to failed careers and a net loss for the continent’s football ecosystem.
• Philosophy and Detail are Key: Future success depends on implementing a coherent technical philosophy from youth levels upward, focusing on minute details to maximize individual expression.

Background: The Road to 2026 and Africa’s Expanded Slots

The decision to expand the FIFA World Cup from 32 to 48 teams, effective from 2026, was driven by a desire to make the tournament more global, inclusive, and financially lucrative. For confederations like CAF, which has long argued that its member nations were underrepresented relative to their population and passion for the game, this was a watershed moment. The allocation of nine slots represents a significant increase from the five slots (plus a potential inter-confederation playoff spot) used in the 32-team format.

This change formalizes a trend that has been visible for decades: the increasing quality and competitiveness of African national teams. From the legendary Cameroon squad of 1990 to Senegal’s run to the quarter-finals in 2002, and culminating in Morocco’s historic semi-final appearance in 2022, Africa’s pedigree at the World Cup has steadily grown. The 2026 allocation transforms this pedigree into a quantitative expectation of presence, raising the stakes for qualifying campaigns and fundamentally altering the strategic calculus for African football federations.

Analysis: The Talent Pool vs. The Development Pipeline

Desailly’s analysis cuts to the heart of a central paradox in modern African football: an abundance of world-class talent coexists with underdeveloped domestic structures. His argument is built on two pillars: undeniable proof of quality and a clear diagnosis of systemic failure.

The Proof of Quality: Stars in Europe

“When you look at most of the teams now in Africa, you can see that inside the team there is a lot of first-choice players in Europe,” Desailly observes. This is an understatement. Current African national teams are built on the backbone of stars from the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, and Ligue 1. Players like Mohamed Salah (Egypt), Sadio Mané (Senegal), Riyad Mahrez (Algeria), and Achraf Hakimi (Morocco) are not just squad members; they are decisive, match-winning talents for both club and country. This “potential” and “quality” is now a constant, not an exception, validating the continent’s claim to more World Cup places.

The Structural Fault Line: Academies and Leagues

Despite this talent exodus, Desailly is stark about the source of the problem: “Our academy are not up to the level. Our league in the various African countries are also not up to the level to be able to maintain the player and grow them up before eventually they go to Europe.”

This highlights a critical failure in the player development lifecycle. Top African academies (often private or club-affiliated, like the famed Aspire Academy in Senegal) produce exceptional talents. However, the broader ecosystem—domestic leagues—lacks the competitive quality, financial stability, and infrastructural resources to provide a viable, high-level stepping stone. A talented 17-year-old in Dakar or Abidjan may outgrow his local league in a year, creating a vacuum where the next developmental stage is a direct, often overwhelming, move to a European club’s reserve or loan system.

The Cost of the “Early Exodus”

“They go early in Europe and they don’t succeed and we lose them,” Desailly states plainly. The consequences are multi-layered:

• For the Player: Cultural and competitive shock can derail a promising career. Without the physical, tactical, and mental maturity needed, many fade in European football’s demanding environment.
• For African Clubs: Clubs that invest in youth development receive minimal compensation (under the current FIFA Solidarity Mechanism) when a player is sold, starving them of resources to reinvest.
• For National Teams: The domestic league’s quality stagnates, depriving the national team pool of players experienced in high-pressure, tactical environments within their own footballing culture.

Practical Advice: Building the Pathway

Desailly’s optimism is not blind; it is conditional on addressing the foundational issues he outlines. His advice points toward a systemic overhaul.

1. Elevate Academy Standards and Integration

Academies must not just be talent spotters but holistic development centers. This requires investment in qualified educators, nutritionists, psychologists, and—crucially—coaches trained in modern pedagogy. The goal is to produce not just skilled athletes but mature, tactically intelligent young professionals.

2. Strengthen and Professionalize Domestic Leagues

CAF and national federations must prioritize league commercialization, broadcast deals, and governance reform. A more competitive, better-funded domestic league can:

• Retain top local talent for 2-3 additional developmental years.
• Provide a familiar cultural and tactical environment for growth.
• Generate revenue to fund academy operations.
• Create a compelling product for local fans, building sustainable club identities.

3. Implement a Coherent Footballing Philosophy

Desailly’s call for technicians to “understand the philosophy” is vital. From U-17 national teams to the senior squad, there should be a consistent playing identity. This allows players to develop within a recognizable system, making their eventual integration into the senior national team seamless and allowing their individual talents to flourish within a clear framework. The philosophy must be adaptable but foundational.

4. Focus on “Little, Little Details”

The legendary defender’s concluding point is profound. Closing the gap with the world’s elite is not about one magic solution. It is about a culture of continuous improvement in:

• Sports Science: Recovery, nutrition, and injury prevention.
• Data Analytics: Using performance data to tailor training.
• Scouting Networks: Identifying talent in remote regions.
• Coaching Education: Ensuring the latest methodologies are used at all levels.

FAQ: Understanding Africa’s 2026 World Cup Journey

How many African teams will qualify for the 2026 World Cup?

Nine African national teams will qualify directly for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a significant increase from the previous format. This is a result of the tournament’s expansion to 48 teams and FIFA’s allocation of slots to confederations.

Which African teams are considered favorites to qualify and potentially advance?

Based on consistent performance and squad depth, traditional powerhouses like Senegal, Morocco, Nigeria, Algeria, Tunisia, and Ivory Coast are strong favorites. Morocco, in particular, enters as the benchmark after its 2022 semi-final run. Emerging nations like Egypt (with Mohamed Salah) and Ghana are also perennial contenders.

What is the main challenge African football faces beyond qualifying?

The primary challenge is sustainable player development. The “early exodus” of talented teenagers to Europe, often before they are ready, depletes domestic leagues and can ruin careers. Building stronger academies and more competitive domestic leagues is essential to develop players to their full potential within an African context first.

Can an African team win the 2026 World Cup?

While the expanded format increases the possibility of deep runs, winning the entire tournament remains a monumental challenge. Marcel Desailly suggests reaching the semi-finals—as Morocco did—is a realistic next milestone for teams like Senegal or Ivory Coast. To win, the structural development issues must be solved to create a deeper squad capable of navigating a longer, more grueling tournament.

How does FIFA’s slot allocation for 2026 work?

For the 2026 World Cup, the 48 slots are allocated as follows: AFC (Asia) gets 8 slots, CAF (Africa) gets 9 slots, CONCACAF (North/Central America & Caribbean) gets 6 slots (with the three host nations automatically qualifying, taking 3 of these), CONMEBOL (South America) gets 6 slots, OFC (Oceania) gets 1 slot, and 2 slots are determined via an inter-confederation playoff involving teams from all confederations.

Conclusion: The Dawn of a New Era

Marcel Desailly’s message from Abidjan is one of measured triumph and urgent call to action. The growth of African football is undeniable, validated by the star power in Europe and the historic achievements on the world stage. The nine slots for the 2026 World Cup are a rightful reward for this progress and a catalyst for future ambition.

However, Desailly’s legacy as a winner compels him to look beyond the celebration of qualification. The true measure of Africa’s footballing maturity will be its ability to build a self-sustaining ecosystem. This means creating environments where a talented 18-year-old can continue to develop in a high-quality domestic league, supported by world-class academies and a unified footballing philosophy. The raw materials—the “quality” and “belief”—are present. The task for presidents, federations, coaches, and developers is to forge the vessel that will carry this potential not just to the World Cup, but deep into its most coveted stages, consistently and on the continent’s own terms. The foundation has been laid; now comes the intricate, detail-oriented work of construction.