Africa is ready to make statements and go for gold at the 2026 FIFA World Cup

By Morgan Carpenter and Briannia Robinson
AFRO Interns
mcarpenter
brobinson@afro.com

The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off with 10 African countries qualifying for the tournament – the largest number ever – giving the continent many reasons to celebrate. 

The feat was facilitated in part by the expansion of the qualifying number to 48 teams. Out of the teams, nine have World Cup experience with Cabo Verde being the rookie. 

As the global tournament has unfolded, cultural pride has been on full display from African delegations, specifically Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Senegal delivering high fashion with their airport arrival outfits. 

Côte d’Ivoire, also known as “Les Éléphants,” wore traditional batik dyed collarless jackets with a slightly cropped stopping point, during their arrival. The jacket was inspired by tapa cloth, a traditional textile originating from the country. Honoring their nickname and national animal, elephant buttons were sewn on the jacket and an embellished elephant head on the back of the jacket was a nod to the nation’s history. 

DRC, or “Les Leopards,” celebrated sapeurs with their arrival attire. Sapeurs are followers of La Sape, and can be considered the Congolese version of a Black dandy. 

With a classic single-breasted black suit, the honoring of their country came from asymmetric panels of leopard print and handbags inspired by the traditional Congolese instrument, the lokombé. Completed with a touch of elegance from gold leopard brooches, the DRC team made a very strong statement ahead of their first match.

Senegal, nicknamed “The Lions of Teranga,” kept it simple and elegant with their airport attire. Featuring a traditional pale green kaftan and modern emerald green vest and pant set, this monochromatic ensemble featured flowing and layered silhouettes, classic to Senegalese fashion culture. Their outfits took inspiration from the Grand Boubou tradition of Senegal, reimagined through modern tailoring. 

In contrast to the vibrancy, cultural diversity and Black excellence demonstrated by the African teams, a dark cloud has overshadowed the experience for a variety of players, officials and fans from African countries, who have faced problems obtaining U.S. visas for traveling to the World Cup. Players and fans have described the process of applying for a U.S. visa as inconsistent and occasionally exclusive.

The denial of entry for a Somali referee, Omar Artan, had an impact beyond the game. Artan was set to become the first Somali referee to officiate at a World Cup tournament.

Aweys Mwaliya, a Somalian-American fan, told the Philadelphia Tribune that the denial of Artan’s visa was troubling. 

“I am really sad. This is unacceptable. Soccer is an official sport in Somalia. To deny a visa based on where someone comes from, their nationality, is really disturbing,” said Mwaliya.

Through various hurdles such as visa bonds, tighter restrictions and higher fees, the current presidential administration also has made it difficult for Senegalese fans and journalists to attend the event.

In January, Executive Order 10998 added Senegal to a U.S. visa bond program. The bond is meant as a guarantee that visitors from Senegal will not overstay their visas. This restricts many Senegalese fans from traveling to the World Cup since the bonds are unaffordable.

Senegalese players and staff have also experienced first hand restrictions from the U.S. before the World Cup even began. Senegalese players and staff were searched at Raleigh-Durham Airport on their way to San Antonio. Despite this, in the press release, the Senegalese Football federation downplayed the searches, stating the search “took place in respect for the relevant airport security rules and no particular incident was observed.”

Despite visa troubles, African fans still have much to celebrate during the early days of the World Cup, with Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire, Cabo Verde, Senegal, DR Congo, South Africa, Algeria, Egypt and Ghana making it to the round of 32. 

In early play, Cabo Verde had possibly the biggest upset of the early tournament with their match against Spain. Cabo Verde is the third-smallest tournament qualifier ever by population, and the second smallest by land area. 

While Spain has been touted as the favorite to win the tournament, according to ESPN, Cabo Verde stunned with a 0-0 draw against the football giant on June 15.  Cabo Verde’s 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha blocked 27 shots from Spain and put on one of the greatest ever keeper performances in a World Cup match. 

At the final whistle, Vozinha, named Man of the Match, celebrated tearfully with the rest of the team on the pitch. 

In the country’s first ever World Cup appearance, this type of performance from Cabo Verde shows the skill of African soccer, stating emphatically that teams from the continent are able to compete against the best Europe has to offer.

“I have a good feeling moving forward because we know what we are capable of,” Cabo Verde midfielder Laros Duarte told reporters after the game. “It is realistic to start thinking now qualifying to the next ​round and the feeling is good.”

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