Why the 2026 FIFA World Cup could test Africa’s ambition and football’s new global order

It promises a wider, more inclusive celebration of the game, but the countdown to the June 11 kickoff has been shaped by more than football.

Ticket prices have triggered backlash. FIFA projects record revenue of $10.9 billion. Visa concerns have raised questions about whether fans from less wealthy countries will be able to attend. In Mexico, cartel-related violence and mass shootings have added another layer of unease for travelling supporters.

Yet for Ghanaian sports pundit and commentator Philip Sitsofe, the World Cup still carries a force that often survives doubt.

“The World Cup is the World Cup,” he told Global South World. “Every player wants to play there. We are going to see unknown players announce themselves. We are going to see players who are going to become world superstars after the World Cup.”

But this edition will also test football in ways previous tournaments did not.

“It’s a World Cup we’ve never seen before because the number of teams playing there are way more than what we are used to,” Sitsofe noted.

For Africa, that expansion means opportunity. CAF will have 10 teams at the tournament, giving the continent its biggest representation yet.

Morocco, ranked eighth in the world, arrives with a pedigree after their historic semifinal run in Qatar, must face record champions Brazil. Senegal, following the recent AFCON controversy, faces a major test against France. Algeria will face defending champions Argentina, Egypt, with Mohamed Salah, faces Belgium, currently ranked 9th globally, Côte d'Ivoire will play against four-time champion Germany, South Africa will face host nation Mexico, Tunisia must play the Netherlands and Japan, while DR Congo will compete against Portugal and Colombia.

Our country, Ghana, ranked 74th globally, and the lowest-ranked African nation representing at the tournament must navigate a difficult group featuring England, Croatia, and Panama. Cabo Verde, among the least populous countries on the continent, with less than 600,000 people, debuts at the tournament, also underlining the widening reach of the tournament.

Sitsofe believes Morocco remains Africa’s strongest hope.

“They’ve got what it takes,” he said. “They’ve got the potential. They can mix it up. They might be resilient at the back and still be open enough to attack.”

He also expects Senegal to trouble France, despite the quality of the French side.

“France will be favourites,” he said, “but Senegal have got it in them to cause upsets.”

For Ghana, however, his assessment was far more cautious. The Black Stars enter the tournament at a difficult moment, after failing to qualify for the 2025 AFCON and struggling with form, structure, and confidence.

“The Black Stars have more problems than those countries they are going to play against,” Sitsofe said.

He believes Ghana’s opening match against Panama could define the campaign.

“Ghana has to find a way of beating Panama and see if, in the subsequent games against England and Croatia, they can manage a draw,” he said. “The first game is crucial. We need to win to build some momentum and confidence.”

On Antoine Semenyo, arguably Ghana's best player heading into the tournament based on form, Sitsofe argued that Ghana cannot simply expect individual brilliance to rescue the team.

Semonyo is having the season of his life. The Manchester City forward, who helped his side secure a domestic English cup double, could have represented England, but now has the weight of over 34 million Ghanaians resting on his shoulders to help defeat the country he has called home for most of his life.

“If you are thinking Semenyo is going to be the one man to drive the team forward, then we are mistaken,” he said. “The Black Stars lack structure, direction, habits, tactics, and platform.”

That point may be the central warning for Ghana. The expanded World Cup gives more teams a chance, but it does not erase the demands of elite football. Hope alone will not carry the Black Stars through.

Ghana must now build “a more comprehensive team” rather than waiting for individuals to save it, he said.