Football is not perfect and sometimes leads to disproportionate behaviors, but it is also a way to forget about the ordeals that one must cope with in daily life. Shelters like arts and sports go far beyond boundaries and can help people in a less dangerous way than other outlets such as drugs and alcohol. And we do need these shelters, especially when you notice that the world goes even more crazy in the very beginning of 2026 with an American president taking advantage of the Monroe doctrine to kidnap the president of an independent country, rule this country (Venezuela) and exploit its oil resources without any complex. A small ball can do a lot, and we can witness it in the current African Cup of Nations being played in Morocco.
It may sound insignificant for the non-concerned ones, but ask people from Mali, Sudan, DR Congo or Senegal what they think about the African football competition that is taking place in Northern Africa right now. Whether the fans are located in Morocco or simply watching the games from home, the results of the national team are followed with attention and directly influence the mood of the people. All the problems will not vanish like magic because of a football tournament, but people do feel better when their team is winning and making them proud. It is also a matter of mental health: what rejoices you must be taken into consideration, no matter what the others think.
The wars and never-ending conflicts in Sudan and DR Congo, the economic woes of Senegal and the political instability in Mali are not going to disappear thanks to the African Cup of Nations. Nonetheless, people feel pride, enthusiasm and collective joy when following the players who stand for the nation. Even if the event will last only a few weeks, this is still some amount of time where the daily hardships are put behind. Few sports can actually do this.
Guillaume Mahot