The Botswana senior national football team, the Zebras, stumbled at the starting line against Uganda in the opening match of their 2026 Africa World Cup qualifying campaign. However, they swiftly regained their footing and snatched a crucial 3-1 victory against Somalia in the second game, reviving their World Cup qualification hopes.
With the team now back in contention, the Zebras will be looking to build on their momentum and maintain their progress towards achieving their dream of qualifying for the prestigious FIFA World Cup.
Although Head Coach, Didier Gomez Da Rosa had envisioned a perfect six points from the two matches, the Zebras managed to secure three valuable points and remain in contention for a spot in the prestigious tournament, while also seeking to improve their international ranking.
After playing four matches of the 2026 World Cup African qualifiers thus far, Botswana's national team, the Zebras, finds itself in third place with six points, just behind Algeria and Mozambique who lead the group with nine points each. Uganda and Guinea share the same tally as Botswana, making for a tight race in the group. The group remains highly unpredictable, as any of the top four teams could potentially secure direct qualification for the World Cup, while the runner-up might still have a chance through the playoffs.
Following the 3-1 victory against Somalia, Botswana's Da Rosa emphasized the significance of securing a win after the disappointing loss to Uganda. In his words, the team analysed their mistakes from the Uganda game and made necessary adjustments to ensure a better result against Somalia. Da Rosa highlighted the need for the team to maintain a positive attitude and display determination in their quest to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite the setback against Uganda.
“I'm really proud of our players and the entire team, we went into these two matches aiming for maximum points, but we're glad to have secured the win against Somalia. The boys needed that victory to boost their morale as we continue to strive for qualification to the 2026 World Cup. We've already played four matches in the qualifiers, accumulating six points, which isn't bad at all. There are still seven matches left, and we're in contention. We're happy with our progress so far,” Da Rosa said.
With the team now back in contention, the Zebras will be looking to build on their momentum and maintain their progress towards achieving their dream of qualifying for the prestigious FIFA World Cup.
Although Head Coach, Didier Gomez Da Rosa had envisioned a perfect six points from the two matches, the Zebras managed to secure three valuable points and remain in contention for a spot in the prestigious tournament, while also seeking to improve their international ranking.
After playing four matches of the 2026 World Cup African qualifiers thus far, Botswana's national team, the Zebras, finds itself in third place with six points, just behind Algeria and Mozambique who lead the group with nine points each. Uganda and Guinea share the same tally as Botswana, making for a tight race in the group. The group remains highly unpredictable, as any of the top four teams could potentially secure direct qualification for the World Cup, while the runner-up might still have a chance through the playoffs.
Following the 3-1 victory against Somalia, Botswana's Da Rosa emphasized the significance of securing a win after the disappointing loss to Uganda. In his words, the team analysed their mistakes from the Uganda game and made necessary adjustments to ensure a better result against Somalia. Da Rosa highlighted the need for the team to maintain a positive attitude and display determination in their quest to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite the setback against Uganda.
“I'm really proud of our players and the entire team, we went into these two matches aiming for maximum points, but we're glad to have secured the win against Somalia. The boys needed that victory to boost their morale as we continue to strive for qualification to the 2026 World Cup. We've already played four matches in the qualifiers, accumulating six points, which isn't bad at all. There are still seven matches left, and we're in contention. We're happy with our progress so far,” Da Rosa said.
