Mohamed Salah celebrates with his teammates after scoring against Djibouti.

CAIRO, Oct 9, (Agencies): Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi extended his congratulations to the national football team, “The Pharaohs”, following their qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Posting on his official Facebook account, Sisi said:

“I sincerely congratulate the heroes of our national team on their well-deserved qualification for the 2026 World Cup. You have brought pride and joy to all Egyptians, demonstrating that determination and perseverance lead to achievement.”

“This success reflects the dedication of the players, coaching staff, and administrative team, and it deserves the highest appreciation. I encourage the team to continue giving their best at the World Cup, showcasing Egypt’s football legacy and representing our nation with honor on the global stage.”

Egypt secured World Cup qualification for the fourth time in history after a decisive 3-0 win over Djibouti in the ninth round of Group A in the African qualifiers. With the victory, Egypt now leads the group with 23 points, five ahead of Burkina Faso, with one match remaining.

The triumph also saw Mohamed Salah continue his record-breaking run, becoming the all-time top scorer in African World Cup qualifiers. Salah now has 19 goals in World Cup qualifying matches, achieving the milestone in fewer games than any previous record-holder.

Burkina Faso is second behind Egypt in Group A after its 1-0 win at Sierra Leone, while Ethiopia beat Guinea-Bissau 1-0.

Meanwhile, Ghana moved one step closer to qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating the Central African Republic (CAR) 5-0 in their qualifier in Morocco.

Ghana broke the deadlock after 20 minutes when defender Mohammed Salisu rose highest to head home Mohammed Kudus’s corner, with the scoreline 1-0 at halftime.

After the break, Ghana continued their dominance and scored four more times through Thomas Partey in the 52nd minute, Alexander Djiku in the 69th minute, and captain Jordan Ayew and substitute Kamaldeen Sulemana in the 71st and 87th minutes, respectively.

The win leaves Ghana top of Group I with 22 points and a goal difference of 16 after nine matches, with Madagascar occupying second position with 19 points and a goal difference of eight.

Mali, Comoros, and the CAR follow with 15, 15, and five points, respectively, while Chad sits bottom of the group with one point.

Ghana will play its final qualifier against Comoros at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday, where a draw will confirm the Black Stars’ place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada

Cape Verde fought back from 3-1 down to draw 3-3 against Libya to edge closer to what would be its first-ever World Cup qualification.

Cape Verde leads Group D by two points over Cameroon, which beat Mauritius 2-0. Nicolas Ngamaleu and Bryan Mbeumo both scored.

In another Group D clash, Angola drew 2-2 at home against Eswatini.