World Cup 2026: Namaso in the Indomitable Lions
FC Porto forward Danny Namaso is closer to the 2026 World Cup, after being called up by Belgian coach Marc Brys to represent the Cameroon national team in the visit to Eswatini, in South Africa, on March 19 and for the reception to Libya, six days later, in Yaoundé, in matches of the fifth and sixth rounds of Group D of the African qualifiers.
Cameroon are top of their group with eight points from four rounds, with the top teams from the nine rounds qualifying directly for the finals, while the four best second-placed teams will fight for a possible additional spot through the play-offs.
Danny Namaso
Born in Reading and capped by England's youth teams, with which he won the Under-17 World Cup in 2017, Namaso, 24, has Cameroonian ancestry and had already been included in the 'Indomitable Lions' pre-selections, but only became eligible to play for the senior team of that African country on January 28 this year.
The striker is in his fourth season with FC Porto, where he joined in 2021/22 from Reading, scoring four goals and providing one assist in 33 matches.
The 23rd edition of the World Cup will take place between June 11 and July 19 next year, in an unprecedented tripartite organization between the United States, Mexico and Canada, and could be worth the ninth presence of Cameroon and, the second in a row, of the African champions in 1984, 1988, 2000, 2002 and 2017, whose best participation in a World Cup was the quarter-finals in 1990.
The Classifications
The race for the 2026 World Cup in the African zone remains tight, with Egypt, Sudan, and Tunisia leading the African qualification, but several other teams are also standing out in the group stage. The fifth round of matches brought surprises and solidified some teams as favorites for direct qualification.
Group A
Egypt continues to assert its superiority in qualifying, leading the way with 10 points. The Egyptian team has shown great offensive effectiveness, scoring 11 goals and conceding only two.
Guinea-Bissau remains in second place with six points, the result of a balanced campaign. Burkina Faso and Sierra Leone, both with five points, are still in contention. Ethiopia and Djibouti are in last place, with little chance of recovery.
Group B
Sudan has been one of the surprises of this stage, occupying first place with 10 points. Senegal, considered one of the favorites, remains in second place with eight points, while the Republic of the Congo, with seven, remains in contention.
Further down the table, Togo, South Sudan and Mauritania are struggling to reach the top spots.
Group C
This group is evenly matched, with Rwanda, South Africa, and Benin sharing first place, all with seven points. The three teams won two games, drew one, and lost one, leaving the group completely open.
Lesotho, with five points, still has hope, but Nigeria, with just three, finds itself in a difficult position. Zimbabwe, in last place with two points, has a difficult path ahead.
Group D
Cameroon remain ahead with eight points, but the fight for qualification remains tight, with Libya and Cape Verde close behind, both with seven points.
Angola, despite not having lost yet, has only six points due to a series of draws. Mauritius and Eswatini, meanwhile, are facing significant difficulties, occupying the bottom of the table.
Group E
Morocco remains one of the most dominant teams in this qualifying phase, leading the table with nine points from three matches. The Moroccan team has already scored 10 goals and conceded only one.
Tanzania, with six points, is still trying to stay in contention, while Niger and Zambia remain with three. Congo, with no points in two games, finds itself in a difficult position.
Group F
Ivory Coast has demonstrated absolute dominance in this phase, with 10 points and a solid defense, without conceding a goal.
Gabon, with nine points, remains in hot pursuit, while Burundi and Kenya, with seven and five points, respectively, are still in the running. At the bottom of the table, Gambia and Seychelles appear out of contention for qualification.
Group G
The battle for first place is between Algeria and Mozambique, both with nine points. Botswana, Guinea-Conakry, and Uganda follow closely behind, each with six points, leaving the group fairly balanced.
Somalia, without any points, has qualification practically out of reach.
Group H
Tunisia has shown great defensive solidity, remaining at the top of the table with 10 points and without conceding a single goal.
Equatorial Guinea, with nine points, and Malawi, with six, are still in contention. Further down, Namibia, Liberia, and São Tomé and Príncipe occupy the last positions, with little chance of qualifying.
group I
Comoros and Ghana are vying for the top spot in the group, both with nine points. Madagascar, with seven, and Mali, with five, are still trying to close the gap on the top spots.
The Central African Republic and Chad are in difficult situations, with no great prospects of qualifying.
The Road to the 2026 World Cup
African qualification continues intensely, with several teams battling for top spots in their respective groups. Only the group winners secure a direct spot in the World Cup, while the four best runners-up will have a final chance via the play-offs.
With more matches to come, the race for the most important tournament in world football promises to be full of excitement.
What do you think of Danny Namaso's call-up to Cameroon's squad for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifier? We'd love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to comment. And if you enjoyed the article, please share and like it.
Picture: © 2024 DR
