South Africa’s Bafana Bafana face hosts Mexico tonight in the opening match of the FIFA World Cup. (Image source: FIFA) As South Africa’s Bafana Bafana face hosts Mexico tonight in the opening match of the FIFA World Cup, tournament organisers have deployed a suite of advanced technologies aimed at improving officiating accuracy and enhancing the…
The African Union on Thursday threw its support behind the 10 African nations competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while Somalia protested a US decision to deny entry to one of the continent’s most prominent football referees. In a statement marking the start of the competition, AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf said the…
Tickets to the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup may be scarce and very expensive, but there are several ways soccer fans can watch all 104 matches scheduled across the United States, Mexico and Canada, starting Thursday, June 11. “Imagine, with this World Cup, a Super Bowl every single day for five weeks,” U.S. team captain…
Travel bans, visa denials, safety fears, and record-high ticket prices are suppressing World Cup attendance–and threatening both FIFA’s promised $40 billion windfall and a U.S. tourism industry that was already struggling before the opening whistle. Ahead of kickoff, the 2026 men’s World Cup is beset with a slew of travel restrictions affecting entry to the…
The UN’s top human rights official has called for a ‘massive rethink’ of US immigration and security policies ahead of the World Cup, warning that racial profiling, surveillance and aggressive enforcement are already affecting teams, officials and supporters. Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, told journalists on Wednesday that if such issues…
Global football body Fifa is branding the World Cup 2026 – and global football in general – as a celebration of inclusivity and diversity. It’s presented as a harbinger of peace and hope, and even somehow a saviour of African migrants who drown while attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea. The humanitarian posturing should not…
The United States government has faced sharp criticism from immigration and human rights experts due to the ongoing visa-related complications and entry denials for athletes and officials participating in the FIFA World Cup. The censure of US President Donald Trump’s administration grew after top Somali football referee Omar Artan, who was set to officiate in…
South Africa head coach Hugo Broos has called on his players to embrace the occasion and carry the hopes of an entire nation when Bafana Bafana face co-hosts Mexico in the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday. The highly anticipated Group A clash at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City…
Africa will make history at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with 10 teams representing the continent, the largest African contingent ever seen at the tournament. The competition kicks off on Thursday in North America, with South Africa facing co-hosts Mexico in the opening match, and for the first time Africa will have double-digit representation on…
A Somali referee celebrated as Africa’s best has reportedly been denied entry into the United States and sent back to Turkey upon arrival at Miami International Airport, preventing him from officiating at the upcoming Fifa World Cup, according to the world football governing body Fifa. Omar Abdulkadir Artan, 34, who was named the 2025 Caf…
