Africa doesn’t need to beg for fairness, it needs to negotiate it and enforce it.
When access to global tournaments feels selective, the response should not be silence. It should be unity, clear conditions, and consequences. No equal treatment, no smooth participation. Respect has to be part of the deal, not a favor.
EXCLUSIVE: Ruud Gullit calls on Gianni Infantino to resign amid growing World Cup controversy
"I have stayed quiet for a long time because I wanted to judge this World Cup on football matters. But the deeper we get into the preparations, the more it becomes clear that football is no longer the main story. For that reason, I believe Gianni Infantino should seriously consider stepping down as FIFA President.
A World Cup should unite people. Instead, this tournament is becoming a symbol of division, political disputes, travel restrictions, and administrative failures.
We are hearing reports that Iranian supporters have had their ticket allocations withdrawn. We have seen the case of Somali referee Omar Artan, selected by FIFA on merit to officiate at the highest level, yet reportedly denied entry into the host country. These are not minor issues. They strike at the heart of what the World Cup is supposed to represent.
FIFA cannot continue promoting football as a universal game while qualified supporters, officials, and participants face barriers that appear unrelated to football itself. The organisation's first responsibility is to protect the integrity and accessibility of the competition.
What concerns me most is that these problems were foreseeable. FIFA awarded the tournament, FIFA approved the arrangements, and FIFA repeatedly assured the football world that everyone would be welcomed. If those assurances are proving unreliable, then accountability must start at the very top.
Leadership is not about appearing in photographs with politicians or celebrating commercial success. Leadership is about taking responsibility when things go wrong. That is why I believe Mr Infantino must ask himself whether he is still the right person to lead world football.
The rising cost of attending matches is another serious concern. Many loyal supporters who follow their countries through qualification campaigns can no longer afford to attend the tournament. Football risks becoming an exclusive event for corporations and wealthy spectators rather than the ordinary fans who built the game.
The World Cup belongs to the world, not to governments, political interests, or football administrators. It belongs to the players, the referees, and the supporters.
If FIFA cannot guarantee that all three are treated fairly and equally, then it has failed in its most fundamental duty.
The football world deserves answers, accountability, and leadership. If those cannot be provided under the current administration, then perhaps the time has come for new leadership at FIFA."
Speaker Oboth Oboth reaffirmed the fight against corruption in Parliament during Nabbanja's appointment celebrations.
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@WorldCupMedia A World Cup is meant to bring the world together, yet the doors to the host nation don’t open the same way for everyone. When access depends on where you come from instead of who you are, the “global game” starts to feel very selective.
Excellent insight. The next agricultural revolution in Uganda won't come from prayers for rain alone, but from turning irrigation into year round productivity.
The real test of Uganda's irrigation investments
As droughts intensify, Uganda’s irrigation challenge has now shifted to helping farmers use water productively beyond rainy seasons.
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@NoNameMan47@PaaulK I have an extensive travel history across Africa and Europe, and I have passed through some of the busiest airports in the world. Never have I been subjected to such treatment. It was disappointing, unnecessary, and deeply unsettling.
@KKariisa@BandiVan@NBSportUg Sydney deserved to grow old, not become a hashtag. A nation that celebrates its heroes must also protect them. Justice for Sydney isn't optional, it's the least we owe him. Rest easy, champion.
I didn't know Sydney Gongodyo personally, but I know what it means to watch a young man pour everything into something he loves. With all I have seen here over the last few days, and funeral proceedings on @NBSportUg, Sydney gave everything to rugby, to his family, to his motherland.
And now he is buried at just 27! We must do better than this. As a society. As neighbours. As human beings.
Rest in peace, Sydney. Justice must follow you home.
My condolences to his family, our @nextradio_ug partners at @piratesrugbyUG, and the entire @UgandaRugby fraternity.
You can't bid to host the World Cup and then start handpicking which parts of the world are welcome. A FIFA-accredited Somali referee isn't a security threat; he's part of the game. If the "world" in World Cup comes with an asterisk, then let's stop pretending it's a global celebration.
It's embarrassing for the US to prevent a FIFA accredited Somali referee from entering our country. If we accept hosting the World Cup, we need to welcome teams, officials, and fans from all nations. This is the "world" cup - not the "European" cup!
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In Kampala, every corner has a story you are not being told.
The taxi park is loud, chaotic, ordinary on the surface. But look closer and you will realise it is full of people living double lives, building quietly, moving smart, staying unseen.