Senegal have set a new record for the biggest victory by an African nation in FIFA World Cup history after thrashing Iraq 5-0 at the 2026 tournament.
The emphatic win surpassed the previous record of a three-goal winning margin jointly held by Nigeria, Morocco and Côte d’Ivoire.
Nigeria were the first African side to achieve the feat with a 3-0 victory over Bulgaria at the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States.
Morocco matched the record four years later by defeating Scotland 3-0 at the 1998 World Cup in France, before Côte d’Ivoire equalled it with a 3-0 win over North Korea at the 2010 tournament in South Africa.
Senegal have now rewritten the history books by recording a five-goal triumph over Iraq, setting a new benchmark for African teams on football’s biggest stage.
The landmark victory further underlines the Teranga Lions’ impressive campaign and cements their place in African football history as the nation with the largest winning margin ever recorded by an African side at the FIFA World Cup.
