Always impressed by the front page cartoons of @thecontinent and this is no exception. A perfect illustration of the 2026 World Cup political atmosphere. I really recommend reading the story as well, which includes how huge crowds in Mogadishu gathered to welcome home Omar Abdulkadir Artan, Africa’s top-ranked referee, who was denied entry to the United States despite being part of the official referee staff.
”Fifa itself has not always been passive when host countries put domestic politics over tournament accessibility. The governing body responded to Artan’s denial of entry by saying it is ’not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications’.
But in 2023, when Indonesia objected to Israel’s participation in the Under-20 World Cup, Fifa swiftly stripped the country of hosting rights. This time, however, Infantino has asked football supporters to ’chill, relax’, and trust Fifa, while also admitting the governing body is not being told about decisions affecting its own tournament.”
This part is worth noting as well, because most people are not aware of how many military operations the US carries out on the African continent: ”The US carried out more than 120 military operations in Somalia in 2025, making it one of the most intensive periods of American military activity in the country.”
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https://www.thecontinent.org/
