Sport accomplishes what politics simply cannot. I witnessed this firsthand on Saturday night in downtown Atlanta after the Uzbekistan versus DR Congo match ended.
Thousands of supporters filled the streets hours after the final whistle. They wore Uzbek and Congolese colours, but fans from around the world marched alongside them in celebration.
Peace, joy, and diversity defined the atmosphere. Football held it all together.
I've attended matches in Miami, Atlanta, Houston, and Kansas City during this tournament. I can say without doubt: the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been extraordinary.
That's significant because critics warned before it started. They predicted the expanded 48-team format would damage quality and produce boring matches.
Geopolitical tensions posed additional risks, they argued. Security concerns and polarisation threatened to overshadow the spectacle.
None of that happened. Instead, the football captivated audiences, cities buzzed with energy, and fans experienced something remarkable.
America particularly needed this moment. The country often seems fractured and at odds with itself these days.
The World Cup painted a different portrait entirely. Supporters from every continent walked together, sang together, exchanged jerseys, and celebrated without fear or suspicion.
For a few weeks, it restored faith in what America can achieve. It reminded people of their better selves.
Commercially, it's been a masterpiece too. FIFA benefited, host cities prospered, and corporations capitalized on the tournament's energy.
Airlines, hotels, restaurants, and broadcasters all participated in an enormous global marketplace. Even governments found ways to gain from football's power.
But Africa's story stands out most powerfully. Before the tournament, skeptics questioned whether more African teams would weaken it.
Italy's coach Gennaro Gattuso raised concerns about the expanded format. UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin predicted many matches would be "completely uninteresting."
Harry Kane suggested Ghana came merely to waste time after their draw with England. Bastian Schweinsteiger described African football as "a bit unorthodox" and "a bit wild."
Those comments look foolish now. Nine of Africa's ten teams advanced from the group stage.
CAF achieved a 90 percent qualification rate—the highest of any confederation. South America and Europe couldn't match it.
Africa didn't dilute the World Cup. Africa made it better.
African football followers had argued this for years. They insisted the continent possessed far deeper talent than its World Cup allocation reflected.
This tournament proved them right. Africa didn't need sympathy or charity—it needed opportunity.
As someone born in Nigeria, I'm experiencing this World Cup differently. Nigeria's Super Eagles didn't qualify, yet Nigeria is present everywhere.
Sixteen players of Nigerian heritage represent nine different nations here. Folarin Balogun emerged as a star for the United States team.
