Infantino reassures Africans about the 2026 World Cup

African media asked FIFA President Gianni Infantino whether Africans would feel safe and welcome in the United States during the 2026 World Cup. During a press conference in Kenya, Infantino was informed of the concerns of African football fans, who are uneasy about the current events in the United States and are urging him to ensure that African fans do not feel unwanted or treated as second-class citizens during the tournament. African media reminded the FIFA president of his visit to US President Donald Trump, who held the World Cup trophy in a glass case at the White House. A reporter from South Africa, the home country of Patrice Motsepe, president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA vice president, who was sitting next to Infantino at the conference in Nairobi, Kenya, said: "We are going to play in a country where we feel unwelcome." At least nine African teams will participate in the 48-team tournament, which will be held from June 11 to July 19 next year in 11 cities in the United States, three cities in Mexico, and two cities in Canada. Egypt, Morocco, and South Africa are likely to secure their places in October as group winners in the qualifiers. A tenth African team may qualify for the global playoffs after the draw. Trump and Infantino announced in a meeting last week that the draw will be held on December 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.