Joy Reid has openly stated her support for an African nation to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup, expressing that she is actively rooting against the United States team. Reid shared her sentiments on her podcast on Monday, indicating a desire for Morocco or Egypt to ultimately win the tournament.
"I want one of them to win. I think it would be so great for the global south for an African team to take home the big prize," Reid said during a conversation with Dave Zirin, a sports editor at The Nation. "I'm sorry, not sorry, but I really want that to happen. I think it would be great for our collective souls if that happened."
Zirin echoed similar sentiments, admitting he also rooted against the U.S. when they played Bosnia, a match the U.S. won 2-0. He expressed concern that a U.S. victory might be "exploited" by President Donald Trump.
Reid further elaborated on her perspective, drawing parallels between African teams and the hero Luke Skywalker from Star Wars, while characterizing European teams as "the Empire." She and Zirin discussed the disparities in resources and training between African and European football.
"They're just athletically brilliant," Reid added, describing African athletes as playing "for their lives" with a greater "need to win" compared to their European counterparts.
Reid also voiced criticism of FIFA, calling the organization "freaking corrupt" and "gross," though she did not provide specific details. She likened the organization to New York Knicks owner James Dolan.
The U.S. team was eliminated from the World Cup competition on Tuesday after a 4-1 loss to Belgium. As of Tuesday, only two African nations, Morocco and Egypt, remained in the tournament. France and Spain are currently considered favorites to win the World Cup.