ABSTRACT
One of the major defining and memorable moments in Africa’s participation in the World Cup was the boycott of the 1966 World Cup tournament held in England. Africa’s continental boycott of the 1966 World Cup was a collective stance that protested the subtle racial injustice and marginalization of the African continent, Asia, and Oceania by Europe that controlled the affairs of FIFA for a long time. Political protests against colonialism often used sporting spaces to shine the limelight away from the fields of play and onto social injustices for all to see. The resolve to boycott the 1966 tournament was instigated by FIFA’s decision to monopolize the contest by reserving the majority of slots for teams from Europe and America and lock out participants from other continents, including Africa, Asia, and Oceania. The defiance by CAF of boycotting the World Cup qualifying rounds ultimately led to the acceptance by FIFA to allocate one slot to Africa for future World Cup tournaments. This was a major defining moment that revealed, tested, and shaped the history of African football. This chapter will highlight the 1966 World Cup boycott which acted as a key vehicle for change in the history of African Football.
