Morocco secured a spot in the World Cup quarter-finals after defeating Canada 3-0 in a decisive round of 16 match held in Houston on July 4, 2026. The victory marks another milestone for African football in the tournament. In a separate development, Kenya's Junior Starlets also advanced toward World Cup qualification with a 2-0 victory against South Africa's Bantwana in Pretoria. Meanwhile, Somali FIFA referee Omar Artan received a heroic welcome in Nairobi after being previously denied entry to the USA for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, highlighting the growing presence of African officials in global football.








