The race for the FIFA World Cup 2026 is heating up as African nations battle for the nine automatic spots, with a potential tenth place at stake through the intercontinental playoffs.
As the qualifiers progress, fans have been treated to thrilling encounters, with some matches producing high-scoring results, while others have been tightly contested.
After Match Day 5, here’s a look at the top goal scorers of the African qualifiers.
1. Mohamed Salah (Egypt) – 6 Goals
Egypt’s talisman, Mohamed Salah, is leading the scoring charts with six goals in the qualifiers. The Liverpool star has been instrumental in Egypt’s attack, contributing nearly half of the Pharaohs’ 13 goals so far.
Salah began his campaign with four goals in a dominant 6-0 win over Djibouti in the opening round. He later netted a crucial equalizer against Guinea-Bissau and added another in Egypt’s 2-0 win over Ethiopia on Match Day 5.
Egypt currently leads Group A with 13 points from four wins and a draw, and Salah’s contributions have been crucial in their quest for World Cup qualification.
2. Mahmoud Trézéguet (Egypt) – 5 Goals
Just one goal behind Salah, fellow Egyptian forward Mahmoud Trézéguet has been a key player in the qualifiers.
He bagged a brace in a 2-0 win over Sierra Leone, scored in the 6-0 victory against Djibouti, and added another two goals against Burkina Faso on Match Day 5, bringing his tally to five goals.
3. Denis Bouanga (Gabon) – 5 Goals
Gabon’s Denis Bouanga has also been in top form, netting five goals so far. He opened his account against Kenya in a 2-1 win on Match Day 1, followed by another goal in a similar 2-1 victory over Burundi.
Bouanga added to his tally with a goal in Gabon’s 3-2 triumph over The Gambia before scoring a brace in a 3-0 win against Seychelles on Match Day 5.
4. Jordan Ayew (Ghana) – 5 Goals
Ghana’s captain, Jordan Ayew, has been leading from the front, guiding the Black Stars with five goals in the qualifiers. His standout performance came in a 4-3 win over the Central African Republic, where he netted a hat-trick.
Before that, Ayew scored a dramatic late winner in a 2-1 victory over Mali, and on Match Day 5, he added a penalty in Ghana’s 5-0 thrashing of Chad. With his leadership, Ghana remains in contention for a World Cup berth.
5. Kamory Doumbia (Mali) – 5 Goals
Mali’s Kamory Doumbia has been both a playmaker and a goal-scoring threat, netting five goals so far. His first goal came in Mali’s 3-1 win over Chad, followed by another in a 1-1 draw with the Central African Republic.
Although Mali suffered a 2-1 loss to Ghana, Doumbia still managed to score in that match.
On Match Day 5, he delivered a brilliant brace in Mali’s 3-0 victory over Comoros, bringing his total to five goals.
Other Notable Goal Scorers
Several other players have also made their mark in the qualifiers:
- Musa Barrow (Gambia) – 4 Goals
- Rayan Raveloson (Madagascar) – 4 Goals
- Steve Mounié (Benin) – 3 Goals
- Bertrand Traoré (Burkina Faso) – 3 Goals
- Lassina Traoré (Burkina Faso) – 3 Goals
With four more matchdays remaining, the goal-scoring race is far from over, and these top talents will look to increase their tallies as they push their nations closer to World Cup qualification.
