The report says Africa will send more teams than ever to an expanded World Cup, yet the central question is whether that growth can produce a genuine title contender. Morocco remains the clearest candidate after becoming the first African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final in Qatar.
“Nosso futebol não está realmente melhorando... não nos desafiamos a ser excelentes,” Bell said. His criticism is aimed beyond the players. Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and Egypt are also viewed as capable of making a deep run, but Morocco appears to carry the continent’s strongest claim.
More places can widen the pathway without fixing the weaknesses underneath it. Reports of delayed salaries, uncertain contracts and late administrative intervention point to a familiar problem: talented squads are often asked to compensate for unstable football structures.
Bell’s broader challenge is blunt. African federations need stronger planning, better governance and more consistent preparation if knockout-round progress is to become a platform rather than a celebration.
The obstacles extend beyond the pitch. The report says visa difficulties and travel costs are limiting African supporters’ ability to attend matches in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Former Nigeria captain Segun Odegbami described the mood as a shift in expectations: “Passamos da fase de apenas participantes para a de competidores e candidatos ao top quatro. Estamos batendo à porta.”
That door is now open wider, but Africa must walk through it. As the 2026 World Cup approaches, the storyline to watch will be whether Morocco can lead a record contingent from hopeful outsiders to genuine contenders.