Schweinsteiger Faces Racism Accusations Over Comments on Ivory Coast

Former Germany midfielder and TV pundit Bastian Schweinsteiger is at the center of a controversy in Germany after remarks he made about Ivory Coast, Germany’s opponent at the 2026 World Cup, prompted accusations of racism and widespread anger. Schweinsteiger, a 2014 world champion, is working as a commentator for the German public broadcaster ARD during the tournament.

While previewing Germany’s second Group E match, which Germany won 2-1 in stoppage time, Schweinsteiger described Ivory Coast’s style as "African football" and later said it was football that is "sometimes unconventional, a bit wild and not really tactical." The phrasing drew immediate criticism.

In a column in Der Spiegel, Philipp Awounou argued that terms such as "wild" carry old stereotypes with racist and colonial roots. The clip spread quickly on social media during the week and triggered many angry reactions online.

Despite the backlash, Schweinsteiger remained on air and even worked as a pundit for Tuesday night’s 0-0 match between England and Ghana. It is still unclear whether he will also cover Germany’s game against Ecuador on Thursday, the final match day of the group stage.