The 2026 FIFA World Cup officially opens tonight in Mexico City, where co-hosts Mexico take on South Africa in front of 80,000 fans at the Estadio Azteca. This tournament marks a watershed for African football—the continent is sending more teams than ever before, a legacy beginning with Egypt's first appearance in 1950. Meanwhile, France 24 reports that the opening is being shadowed by anti-immigrant unrest in South Africa, where hundreds of Nigerians are being repatriated. The World Cup, expected to draw over a billion global viewers, thus unfolds against both celebration and human displacement.

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