African teams confront racism and achieve historic knockout at 2026 World Cup

South Africa reached the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup for the first time, advancing after a 1‑0 win over South Korea and a draw with the Czech Republic. The Bafana Bafana side was later eliminated by Canada in the round of 32, with key contributions from Teboho Mokoena, Maseko, Williams, and Makhanya noted for their club affiliations.

Separately, former German international Bastian Schweinsteiger sparked controversy when he described African football as “a bit wild, a bit unorthodox” before a Group A match involving Côte d’Ivoire. The remark was widely condemned as racist by the Ivorian manager, media outlets and social‑media users, prompting Schweinsteiger to defend his comment as purely tactical. The incident has reignited debate over racial stereotyping in football commentary.