DAR ES SALAAM, June 12 -- WITH the opening matches underway, the worlds eyes are in the USA, Mexico and Canada as they host the FIFA World Cup 2026. It is the first 48-team tournament and the first to be staged by three nations across 16 cities from Vancouver to Guadalajara.

As the football starts, the question for Tanzania is simple: if North America can pull this off, why cant East Africa when AFCON 2027 arrives? In 2027, Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda will welcome Africa for the Africa Cup of Nations. Twenty-four teams, 52 matches, one dream shared by three countries.

The World Cup unfolding now is not just entertainment. It is a blueprint, and there is much we can borrow. First, unity over ego. The USA, Mexico and Canada buried borders ...