Tunisia

Africa's most experienced World Cup nation, Tunisia has been showing up to the tournament since 1978 but has never quite broken through, always seeming to bow out in the group stage without much fanfare. Heading into 2026, they'll be looking to finally flip that script after qualifying through a competitive African field, arriving with a blend of European-based pros and home-grown talent trying to prove the continent's veterans can still surprise people. Keep an eye on whether their typically disciplined, hard-to-beat defensive style is enough to steal a result against bigger names — because on a good day, they're genuinely tricky to put away.