I can still vividly remember watching the 2006 World Cup final between France and Italy, my whole family jammed into our living room. I have been a football or as my American colleagues insist on calling it, “soccer” fan, since birth.
The World Cup means everything to many young kids in Africa in general and in Morocco in particular. Back in my hometown, Marrakech, everyone watched the World Cup, and by that I mean EVERYONE, even the people you’d least expect. For as long as I can remember, the World Cup has always been about showing pride in who you are and what you had to offer to the world.
Now, twenty years later as the 2026 World Cup is underway, the importance of the event has only grown for me. I am part of the African diaspora living in one of the host countries. This means I get to participate in the excitement in a way I never expected.
Since moving to Canada in 2024 and through my work at ONE, I have heard a lot of talk about trade diversification. But one thing has been noticeably missing from these conversations: Africa. One of the reasons for that is perception. For many, Africa is related to crises, aid, and humanitarian assistance rather than business.
The World Cup is a moment where attention is focused on more than a match but on the stories off the field too. Like the time Japan beat Germany in 2022 or when Senegal beat the title holders in 2002. Fans all over the world have their minds opened to new narratives and new heroes.
That is exactly what More Than A Match is all about. It is a website to tell the story of Africa, through a lens of investment, trade, tourism and diaspora. Just like those historical upsets, Africa is here to play and to win.
For example, the total trade between Canada and Africa reached CA$18.3B in 2025. It is a lot money! And the best part is, there is still a lot of potential to grow and for Canada to double its trade with Africa over the next 10 years.
Tourism is also an area to pay attention to. In 2025, over 300,000 African visited Quebec alone, spending money, and supporting growth. Numbers in the US also tell a similar story, with trade reaching US$83.5B. Another noteworthy sum.
To put it simply, Africa is an opportunity North America cannot afford to miss out on if they are serious about achieving prosperity and mutual partnership. As an African living in North America, I would love to see more collaboration between the two and specifically between Canada and Morocco. I know Morocco has a lot to offer, whether it is oranges, its rich history, business opportunities, or its expertise in football investments. All of those are already existing ties that are present via trade and could be reinforced more.
More Than a Match, a collaboration between ONE and the George W. Bush Institute, has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Beyond the professional growth it made me more aware of the potential held in the continent I was born in.
Every World Cup has one: the team nobody watched in qualifying, the one experts dismiss, the one that makes it to the final anyway. Africa is that team in the global economy. But continue to underestimate the continent at your peril. Africa is ready.
