Why have African nations failed to become serious contenders in football?

The article notes that while Africa did produce its first World Cup semifinalist in 2022 with Morocco, the majority of their players were born outside the continent, suggesting a lack of a replicable template for most other African nations to follow.

Home / Sports / Dominance Persists: Europe and South America Still Rule World Football

Dominance Persists: Europe and South America Still Rule World Football

Q: How has the U.S. men's national team performed in recent years?

The article states that the U.S. men's team has struggled to make an impact, missing the 2018 World Cup and failing to produce a Ballon d'Or winner to date, contrary to the predictions of their rise as a global football force.

Q: What happened to the trend of fully-roofed stadiums in football?

The article explains that the predicted explosion of fully-roofed stadiums, exemplified by the Amsterdam ArenA and Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, has not materialized, with such features remaining novelties due to the significant investment required.

11 Oct

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Summary

Outsiders fail to challenge football's traditional superpowers
U.S. men's team struggles to become a global force as predicted
Fully-roofed stadiums remain a rarity despite early trends

Dominance Persists: Europe and South America Still Rule World Football

As of October 2025, the football landscape has largely defied the predictions made at the turn of the century. The consensus that the game's superpowers would be challenged by outsiders has proven to be a myth, with the same nine countries - England, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Argentina, and Brazil - still considered the favorites to win the 2026 World Cup.

The anticipated rise of African nations as serious contenders has also not materialized, with Morocco's surprise run to the 2022 World Cup semifinals being an outlier. The U.S. men's team, once expected to become a global force, has struggled to make an impact, missing the 2018 World Cup and failing to produce a Ballon d'Or winner to date.

Furthermore, the predicted explosion of fully-roofed stadiums, exemplified by the Amsterdam ArenA and Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, has not come to fruition. Such features remain novelties, with the majority of European clubs opting against the significant investment required for a complete roof.

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