DAR ES SALAAM, June 28 -- AS the 2026 FIFA World Cup rolls across the United States, Canada and Mexico, most of us will be doing what football people do best: arguing loudly, predicting bravely, forgiving nobody and suddenly discovering tactical knowledge that was not available during ‘chai ya asubuhi.

Who will lift the trophy? Which big nation arrived with reputation and leave with excuses? Which underdog disturbs peoples betting slips? And which referee is becoming a national enemy in four countries before breakfast?

These are proper football conversations.

They belong beside the remote control, the tea flask, the pilau plate, the mishkaki smoke and that uncle who still believes his football career was destroyed by one jealous ...