SPORT - The African Mirror

Jun

22

2026

Pharaohs rule, Sharks bite back, Elephants mugged in Toronto: Africa’s gloriously unhinged World Cup

FOOTBALL

SEVEN World Cup finals. Seventeen matches. Zero wins. That was Egypt’s grim ledger heading into this tournament, a statistic embarrassing enough to deserve its own laugh track. Then New Zealand turned up in Vancouver, took an early lead through Finn Surman’s header, and discovered precisely why one does not wake a sleeping Pharaoh. Mostafa Ziko levelled, Mohamed Salah - still doing this at an age when most wingers have swapped studs for slippers - cut inside and finished with the icy calm of a man who has scored against better defences on a wet Tuesday in Liverpool, and substitute Trezeguet…

Jun

20

2026

By The African Mirror

Ten Lions, One Mountain: Africa’s World Cup reckoning reaches its defining week

FOOTBALL

AFRICA arrived in North America with its largest ever delegation, ten proud flags among the forty-eight, and a continent's worth of expectation strapped to their backs. A week and a half into the 2026 FIFA World Cup, that expectation has produced fireworks and frustration in equal measure, a Moroccan masterclass, a Cabo Verdean fairytale, and a Bafana Bafana cliff-edge that will be resolved only in Monterrey. This is the story, so far, of Africa's mountain to climb. Matchday one has given way to matchday two across the twelve groups, and the picture for the continent is one of contrasts rather…

Jun

19

2026

By SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

Where champions and dreams wear the same kit

SPORT

THE streets of Soweto have always known how to speak to the soul of a nation. Fifty years on from the youth who changed history in 1976, another generation took to those same streets on Youth Day 2026 - not in protest, but in celebration, and not alone. At the Nike Shapa Centre, a venue that has come to symbolise the beat of township sport, more than 300 young people gathered in a collision of colour, noise, laughter and sweat. Athletes with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities laced up alongside football legends, corporate volunteers and government officials, united by…

Jun

19

2026

By SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

Africa’s World Cup charge: Ghana and Ivory Coast win as Cape Verde, Morocco and DR Congo hold giants, while South Africa, Tunisia and Algeria stumble

FOOTBALL

AFRICAN football has made an early, forceful statement at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Ghana and Ivory Coast delivering the headline victories while Cape Verde, Morocco and the Democratic Republic of Congo showed resilience through hard-earned draws. At the same time, South Africa, Tunisia and Algeria suffered defeats that exposed the gap African teams still must close against elite opposition, even in a tournament that has already produced several breakthrough moments for the continent. Ghana’s 1-0 win over Panama was the kind of result that can reshape a campaign: tight, disciplined and decided late, it showed a team willing…

Jun

19

2026

By JIM WORMINGTON

Soccer fan and angry at FIFA?

FOOTBALL

Many soccer fans, me included, have mixed feelings about the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which began June 11 in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The world’s biggest sporting event is happening alongside a brutal immigration crackdown and assault on human rights by the administration of President Donald Trump. FIFA President Gianni Infantino, rather than challenging the US government’s abusive policies, awarded Trump the concocted FIFA Peace Prize, citing his “unwavering commitment to advancing peace and unity throughout the world.” But soccer fans shouldn’t let the Trump administration’s abuses and FIFA’s disregard ruin our World Cup. We can still cheer on our teams while fighting for justice…

Jun

18

2026

By BONFACE ORUCHO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Africa marks record World Cup as referee row sustains solidarity wave

FOOTBALL

CÔTE D'IVOIRE has secured Africa's first victory at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, giving the continent an encouraging start at its largest-ever participation in the tournament as competition gathers pace across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The Elephants edged Ecuador 1-0 in Philadelphia thanks to a stoppage-time strike from substitute Amad Diallo, who guided a composed finish into the bottom corner in the 90th minute after a sustained period of pressure from the South Americans. The result lifted Côte d’Ivoire level with Germany at the top of Group E and delivered Africa’s first three points of the expanded 48-team…

Jun

15

2026

By The African Mirror

Ivory Coast’s historic win ignites continental pride at 2026 FIFA World Cup

FOOTBALL

AFRICA has finally written its name in the 2026 FIFA World Cup history books — and it came wrapped in dramatic, heart-stopping fashion. In a match that will echo through continental football for generations, Ivory Coast struck in the 90th minute to beat Ecuador 1-0, securing Africa's first-ever victory at this tournament. Substitute Amad Diallo delivered the clinical finish, steering Wilfried Singo's cross into the far corner to end Ecuador's 19-match unbeaten run and give the Elephants their first World Cup win since 2014. This wasn't just a win - it was Africa's liberation from the curse that had haunted…

Jun

11

2026

By RUUD GULLIT

EXCLUSIVE: Ruud Gullit calls on Gianni Infantino to resign amid growing World Cup controversy

FOOTBALL

I have stayed quiet for a long time because I wanted to judge this World Cup on football matters. But the deeper we get into the preparations, the more it becomes clear that football is no longer the main story. For that reason, I believe Gianni Infantino should seriously consider stepping down as FIFA President. A World Cup should unite people. Instead, this tournament is becoming a symbol of division, political disputes, travel restrictions, and administrative failures. We are hearing reports that Iranian supporters have had their ticket allocations withdrawn. We have seen the case of Somali referee Omar Artan,…

Jun

10

2026

By The African Mirror

Kagisho Dikgacoi backs Bafana to shock hosts Mexico in World Cup opener

FOOTBALL

FORMER Bafana Bafana midfielder Kagisho Dikgacoi believes the weight of expectation on Mexico could play into South Africa’s hands when the two nations meet in the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The tournament kicks off on Thursday, 11 June 2026, at the iconic Estadio Azteca (Mexico City Stadium) in Mexico, with a Group A clash between the hosts and South Africa, a repeat of the 2010 opening game at Soccer City, Johannesburg, where Siphiwe Tshabalala’s thunderbolt opener was cancelled out by Rafael Márquez in a 1-1 draw. Dikgacoi, who provided the assist for Tshabalala’s famous strike, says…

Jun

09

2026

By GUSTAVO MORELLO

What the tattoos of World Cup players say about their love, life and religious beliefs

FOOTBALL

AS the 2026 FIFA World Cup starts on June 11, 2026, traditional news and social media channels will be full of pictures of the players. Many of them will be showing their tattoos. Body art has become increasingly part of international soccer, although its prevalence can vary across geographical regions. A study of athletes participating in the 2018 World Cup found that Latin American players were the most heavily tattooed, followed by those from Oceania and Europe. African and Asian players are the least tattooed. I have been studying tattoos and their spiritual and religious roles since 2018. Tattoos are…