By Kayode Emola
With the group stages of the 2026 FIFA World Cup completed, teams that have qualified for the knockout phase are hoping to progress their chances further. However, teams that have already crashed out can still go home knowing that they gave their best, but it just wasn’t good enough. In all, it is the spirit of sportsmanship that really counts.
Prior to the commencement of the FIFA 2026 World Cup, there were concerns about the Iranian Football National Team. With the ongoing war between the USA and Iran, many feared that the Iranian team might not be allowed entry into the US to participate in the tournament. At one point, the Italian National Team was asked if they could take up the Iranian slot but respectfully declined.
In the end, the Iranian national team were allowed entry to the US to participate in the tournament. I cannot begin to imagine what the emotions going through their minds would have been during that period. Could they have been turned back, and denied entry, after all a Ghanaian footballer Thomas Partey was denied entry to Canada causing him to miss Ghana’s first match against Panama in Toronto.
For many football loving nations, the FIFA World Cup is the height of any footballing activity in the world, one which they cannot afford to miss. When their country is participating, they want to cheer them on to victory whether on the pitch or on their screen at home or in a bar. It shows the great power this sport has globally to unite people of different races.
Had the Iranian National Team being denied access to the World Cup this year, it would have set a very bad precedent. One which the world may not eventually recover from. The good thing is they were allowed to participate which in all sense shows that there is still a tiny hope for mankind to work together in very difficult circumstances.
I know Nigeria did not qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026, I couldn’t care less if they did or not. My only hope is that one day, the Yoruba nation will have our autonomy, and we can have our Yoruba sportsmen and women representing us in the international stage. In that day, it would not just be a sight to behold but an experience to revel in.
As it stands, many countries are already at odds with other nation’s football team for their crash at this world cup. I want us to know that football is just a sport and in the spirit of sportsmanship, there is always a winner and loser. The winner needs to always be magnanimous in victory and the loser gracious to accept their defeat.
I have had my fair share of heart breaks in football when my team lost to a rival football team. The heartache is very agonising and unbearable; however, I soon get past that phase. Equally, I have had times when my team was victorious, and the joy is overwhelming that it can cause most ailments to vanish instantly. That is such power that football posses and I believe many other sports gives the same experience.
The fact that national teams can be barred from sporting events because of politics is very concerning though. Sports should never be a tool that world leaders use as a weapon to punish young athletes who wants to showcase their talent in the international stage. It should be a tool to foster unity among nations rather than a tool to further divide. There is so much disunity in the world presently, and football like many other sports might just a force for good that can bring our world and people closer together.
