Pre‑campaign expectations and early promise
Cameroon came into the 2026 CAF World Cup qualifiers with one of the stronger squads in Africa. With stars like André Onana in goal, Vincent Aboubakar up front, midfielders like Zambo Anguissa, and flair on the wings from Bryan Mbeumo and others, many pundits expected them to dominate Group D
Pre‑campaign expectations and early promise
Cameroon came into the 2026 CAF World Cup qualifiers with one of the stronger squads in Africa. With stars like André Onana in goal, Vincent Aboubakar up front, midfielders like Zambo Anguissa, and flair on the wings from Bryan Mbeumo and others, many pundits expected them to dominate Group D.
They showed flashes of dominance early on:
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A commanding 4‑1 home win over Cape Verde (a side that later won the group) where Aboubakar scored a brace and the team looked sharp.
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They beat Eswatini convincingly 3‑0 at home on Matchday 7, showing superiority over the bottom teams.
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They also secured a 3‑1 win over Libya to stay close at the top of the table.
Thus, going into the final stretch, Cameroon was very much in contention for the automatic qualifying berth from the group.
Missteps & missed chances
However, several misfires along the way cost them dearly:
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Draw vs Eswatini
Cameroon dominated possession and chances but were held to 0‑0 by Eswatini. They had 13 shots, only 4 on target; failure to convert against a bottom‑of‑the‑group side was glaring. That draw cost them valuable points. -
Loss away to Cape Verde
On Matchday 8, they lost 1‑0 to Cape Verde in Praia. Cape Verde’s lone goal via Dailon Livramento was enough to swing momentum and the points balance. That result meant Cape Verde was almost certain to take the top spot. -
Final match draw vs Angola
Going into the 10th and final match, Cameroon needed a win at home versus Angola, plus a slip from Cape Verde, to directly qualify. A goalless draw at home sealed their fate: Cameroon ended with 19 points from 10 matches (5 wins, 4 draws, 1 loss), whereas Cape Verde finished with 23 points, four clear. -
Missed efficiency in front of goal
In several matches, Cameroon created enough chances but were wasteful. Their failure to convert against weaker or mid‑table sides (e.g. Eswatini, Angola in the final game) undermined their campaign.
The consequence: playoffs instead of direct ticket
Because of those missteps, Cameroon ended second in Group D, automatically placing them among the best runners‑up rather than group winners. They will now have to navigate the CAF playoffs in November 2025 to try to reach the inter‐continental playoff and ultimately qualify for World Cup 2026.
Statistically:
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Cameroon finished with 19 points.
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They had a goal difference of +12, one of the best in the group.
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But Cape Verde’s consistent results and lack of dropped points against weaker sides put them four points clear.
So in short: Cameroon were in the mix, had the tools, but failed to do what was necessary in the crunch moments.
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