When the United States, Mexico and Canada open their doors to the world in 2026 for the first ever tri-national FIFA World Cup, they will not only host the biggest sporting event in history - with 48 nations, including nine African teams - but also an extraordinary test of diplomacy, unity and global cooperation.
The tournament comes at a time when U.S. foreign policy is often seen as volatile and its economic stance sometimes hostile to the very principles of multilateralism it has previously espoused. Paradoxically, however, it is sport, and football in particular, that can be a unifying force that can restore trust, strengthen solidarity and bridge divides.
Tournament without borders
The 2026 World Cup will be a logistical and diplomatic masterpiece. Matches will be played in 16 cities in three countries - from Vancouver in Canada to Mexico City to Miami in the United States. Such a vast territory will require unprecedented cross-border coordination - in transport, security, ecology and cultural exchange. It will also test the political maturity and cooperation of three neighbours whose relations have been marked in recent years by disputes over trade, migration and climate commitments.
But football offers what politics cannot: a common language of emotions. In the roar of stadiums full of fans from all over the world, the artificial lines of political division dissolve. "For a few weeks, the "United" in the names of the United States, Mexico and Canada will take on a deeper meaning: it will be a symbol of people, not politics.
The African Wave: a continental dream
Africa's participation in the 2026 tournament will be historic. Nine African countries have qualified for the first time - Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Ghana, Senegal, South Africa, Cape Verde and Ivory Coast. This expansion from five to nine places is recognition of Africa's growing strength and influence in world football.
South Africa's return to the world stage - for the first time since 2010, when it hosted the championship itself - is rekindling the spirit Ubuntuthat defined that unforgettable tournament. Cape Verde's qualification, on the other hand, is a fairy tale - a country of just half a million people, the second smallest ever to qualify for the championships (after Iceland). Morocco, which in 2022 became the first African team in history to reach the semi-finals, will again carry the hopes of the entire continent - with a combination of creativity, discipline and determination.
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, His Excellency Mahmoud Ali Youssoufthat's exactly what he said: "These teams carry the hopes of more than a billion Africans. Their success demonstrates Africa's growing unity, skill and confidence."
This shared African journey is more than just sport - it is a form of soft power, a display of pride and confident presence in a global narrative that is often skewed in favour of the West.
The United States: a mirror of contradictions
As a major host country, the United States faces an ironic challenge. At a time when they will be inviting the world in the name of friendship, they themselves face deep internal divisions and an unpredictable foreign policy that has strained relations across continents.
From Caribbean tensions with Venezuela and the increasing militarisation of domestic affairs, to trade disputes with China and a wavering approach to climate agreements, Washington's credibility as a global leader is often questioned. But the World Cup presents an opportunity to reassert leadership - not through dominance or ideology, but through hospitality, inclusiveness and cultural diplomacy.
Soccer diplomacy can do what traditional diplomacy has failed to do: reconnect America to the world on a human level. It's worth remembering that sport has repeatedly transcended politics in the past, from the "ping-pong diplomacy" that broke the ice between the US and China in the 1970s to the 1995 Rugby World Cup in South Africa that symbolized post-apartheid reconciliation.
At a time when the world is increasingly divided by geopolitical rivalries and economic pressures, the message of football fair play could offer a model for a different kind of international order.
The Tri-National Alliance: a test of North American solidarity
The cooperation between Canada, Mexico and the United States is itself a symbolic experiment in "football multilateralism". Three countries, linked by geography but divided by political ideology, will have to show a level of partnership and trust rarely seen in international relations.
Their success in hosting together may redefine regional cooperation under the agreement USMCA (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement) - extend its relevance beyond trade to culture, sustainability and social cohesion. Moreover, North America will be under scrutiny when it comes to tackling environmental and social challenges - from carbon emissions to human rights.
If successful, this project could inspire new models of international cooperation - ones where competition breeds friendship and where borders are not barriers but bridges.
A beautiful game as the conscience of the world
Football - often called "the beautiful game" - mirrors the story of humanity: its struggles, ambitions and hopes. The 2026 World Cup, coming amidst climate concerns, migration crises and political upheaval, will be a canvas for renewal.
For the global South, especially Africa, this will be an opportunity to showcase the creativity, resilience and unity that define the continent. For the global North, it will be a moment to rediscover humility, openness and empathy.
A moment to re-imagine world football
If the trio of host countries can rise above political divisions and if the spirit of unity can prevail over division, this championship could go down not only as the greatest in history but also as the most groundbreaking.
For Africa, this could be the moment when its long-delayed dream of world football glory finally comes true.
For America, this may be a lesson in collective leadership. And for the world, a reminder that what unites us is infinitely stronger than what divides us.
Kirtan Bhana, TDS
Thediplomaticsociety/gnews.cz - GH
