After 39 days and 104 games, the 2026 FIFA World Cup came to a close on Sunday as Spain lifted the coveted trophy.
Sports journalist Yanga Sibembe said it was a thrilling tournament that will be remembered for its many highs and lows with a befitting finale.
“The team that deserved to win won on the night and the team that played the best football for most of the tournament won… I think it was a really good final in that regard.”
However, the tournament was not without its controversies, including the handling of the Iranian team, who were forced to be based in Mexico despite playing their games in the US due to their strict visa conditions.
Africa’s top referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was also denied entry in the US, an Iraqi player was detained and questioned for nearly seven hours in Chicago, and Donald Trump intervened to overturn a US player’s red card.
Sibembe said that these incidents, including the rescinded red card of US player Laren Bulligan, raised questions about FIFA’s ethics and decision-making.
He argued that the issues cannot be separated from the spectacle on the field.
“As much as the World Cup will be remembered for all the spectacular games, the goals, the beautiful moments on the field, there’s always going to be that smell that lingers that there are some moments that are not so nice that make people question the ethics of FIFA.
“I think that tells you how they view the people that watch the game… It is a big deal when you can see that all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.”
The tournament also saw some exciting moments, including a thrilling third-place playoff where a total of 10 goals were scored.
Sibembe recalled another memorable moment, Cape Verde holding strong against Argentina in the round of 32, in what was their first World Cup tournament ever.
“I think Cape Verde showed a lot of fight and a lot of class to really stretch Argentina and take them right to the end.”
There were also several impressive performances by the likes of Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe, who won second consecutive Golden Boot for most goals scored at a single World Cup (10).
“Someone like Kylian Mbappe is a generational talent, and he has shown that again at this World Cup… And he will be back again in four years,” he said.
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