With a Somali referee being denied entry into the US, and the surge of online racist abuse after 2026 World Cup matches, racism and exclusion in football are once again in the news.
Overt anti-Black racism in football is well reported and researched. Less visible but important structural issues remain little scrutinised, though.
The 2026 World Cup is a perfect moment to examine the deeply entrenched – but often hidden – logic of the global market of footballers that reproduces racist stereotypes about Black athletes.
Assumptions about natural characteristics of African athletes persist in football transfers. Africans are often regarded as physically strong athletes with raw talent that are lacking in discipline and technical refinement. But these assumed characteristics are far from natural – they are actively nurtured.
One of the less obvious places that this happens is in west African football academies that seek to empower young footballers, but effectively reproduce stereotypes.
