Africa Is a Country comes to New York to celebrate Africa at the World Cup and discuss the political fault lines of international football.

This June, the Africa Is a Country team is producing a special physical issue dedicated to the 2026 World Cup. We’re launching it with a public salon (the day before the opening ceremony and first match in Mexico City). Beginning at 6 p.m., it’s free and open to everyone. The evening will bring together writers, historians, and football thinkers for four panels covering the politics of the tournament, from New York’s football history and Haiti’s return to the World Cup stage, to the long tradition of football as protest and what a decolonized football might actually look like. We’ll close with a live taping of our African Five-a-Side podcast and then an afterparty at The Shrine in Harlem.

*Registration is encouraged but does not guarantee entry.