Former Nigeria winger Ejike Uzoenyi believes Africa is firmly establishing itself as a force to be reckoned with in global football, pointing to the performances of the continent's teams at the FIFA World Cup 2026, which is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Uzoenyi, who was part of Nigeria's victorious Africa Cup of Nations squad in 2013 and represented the Super Eagles at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil under the late Stephen Keshi, said African nations have fully justified FIFA's decision to expand the continent's allocation to 10 slots at this edition of the tournament.

African sides through to the knockout stage

The 34-year-old former Rangers International winger spoke after Morocco, Ivory Coast, and South Africa had each secured places in the knockout round following the conclusion of their group-stage fixtures.

"Morocco, South Africa, and Ivory Coast reaching the knockout stage from their groups demonstrates the growing strength of African football," Uzoenyi told Completesports.com in an exclusive interview. "It shows African football has come of age."

South Africa, despite a 2-0 defeat to host nation Mexico in their opening fixture, recovered to finish second in their group with four points — a historic achievement as their first-ever knockout-stage qualification. Morocco advanced from Group C with seven points, level with group winners Brazil. Ivory Coast, meanwhile, booked their place in the second round from Group E with six points, matching group leaders Germany's tally.

Egypt and Ghana are also still very much in contention, with both sides holding four points ahead of their final group fixtures. Egypt need only a draw or a win to advance, while Ghana remain in the mix alongside England. Algeria, Senegal, and Cape Verde retain realistic hopes of progressing as among the best third-placed teams.

"Even Algeria and Senegal are in a good position to qualify as some of the best third-placed teams. Cape Verde can also qualify for the knockout stage. Egypt and Ghana too," Uzoenyi said.

Morocco's rise no surprise

Uzoenyi was emphatic that Morocco's strong showing at this tournament comes as no surprise, given their fourth-place finish at the previous World Cup. "I strongly believe they can do even better this time around," he said. "Morocco see themselves as being at the European level, which is why they even sought to join European competitions. They have the right structure in place and are currently dominating African football."

He also pointed to Egypt's dominance in African club football, and highlighted the strides made by Ivory Coast and South Africa, expressing confidence that the continent as a whole would deliver a strong showing before the tournament concludes.

Nigeria's absence casts a shadow

Uzoenyi was candid about the emotional toll of watching the World Cup without Nigeria. "You know the Super Eagles are not at the World Cup, so it's a dull feeling sitting in front of your television and watching other countries play," he said. "But that's life, and it has to go on. We can only learn from our mistakes and move forward."

CAF television coverage under scrutiny

The former winger also directed criticism at the Confederation of African Football (CAF), arguing that its policy of limiting television coverage of inter-club competitions to the group stage deprives the world of a true picture of African football's quality.

"If CAF competitions were televised from the preliminary rounds, the world would better appreciate the true potential of African football and its players," Uzoenyi said. He noted that the performances of African teams at the FIFA World Cup 2026 are a testament to the growth of the game across the continent — growth that has too often gone unnoticed on the global stage.