South Africa faced an unusual backlash from fellow African football fans after a 2-0 opening-match loss to Mexico at the World Cup, with social media trending more with jokes and taunts than the usual early-tournament solidarity seen among African nations.
The match itself saw co-host Mexico beat South Africa 2-0, but the online reaction reflected wider tensions. Memes celebrating Mexican culture ā sombreros, flags and playful name changes ā were common, yet many posts carried a sharper edge tied to reports of xenophobic violence in South Africa, BBC reports.
Some African supporters said their choice to back Mexico was a deliberate statement about recent anti-migrant incidents. “You want people to cheer for you when you play soccer just because we’re African?” one X user asked citing reports of mistreatment of migrants. Another user wrote, “We’re supporting Mexico so that South Africa can go back home early to protect their jobs,” playing on an unfounded accusation that foreigners were responsible for South Africa’s high unemployment rate.
The backlash prompted a range of responses. Some South Africans pushed back on the mockery, praising their teamās effort. “We qualified for the World Cup alone without your support and whether we win or lose we will remain South Africans who love their country. And illegal immigrants will still leave our country whether you hate us or not,” one social media post read. Another insisted: “They can support Mexico all they want we are not backing down. Come to South Africa legally.”
Prominent voices weighed in. “I hope South Africa is not blaming African migrants for the 2ā0 defeat and two red cards in the match against Mexico,” posted Ahmednasir Abdullahi, a prominent Kenyan lawyer. Meanwhile, Daniel Kaniki, a Congolese supporter at a fan park in Atlanta, told the BBC: “Africa is like one country and if one is chasing others, we are not a family any more. That’s why I’m supporting Mexico today.”
Not all fans agreed with the online trend. Ghanaian Vanlare Quist, also at the Atlanta fan park, said he was rooting for South Africa, calling himself “a proud African” and attributing anti-immigrant sentiment to a minority of people. In Juba, South Sudan, many supporters rallied behind South Africa ā a connection some there trace to their own struggle against Sudan and a longstanding affinity with South Africa.
“It was unfortunate that on social media we saw some African countries supporting Mexico and even wearing Mexico jerseys. As South Sudanese, we are behind South Africa and will continue to support South Africa – because they are representing Africa. So, all African countries must support South Africa during this World Cup,” 23-year-old student George Kenyi Charles Rehan told the BBC in Juba.
The South African government praised the teamās effort while acknowledging disappointment in the result. It commended Bafana Bafana for their “spirited performance”, adding that while the final score was not what the nation had hoped for, the team “represented South Africa with unity, determination, and a sense of pride on the world’s biggest stage”.
The online atmosphere has been shaped by recent real-world tensions. In South Africa, migrants from elsewhere in Africa have faced violence and intimidation in recent weeks, and anti-migrant groups have set a deadline of 30 June for undocumented foreigners to leave. President Cyril Ramaphosa warned against people taking the law into their own hands, saying that “only authorised government officials can act against violations of our law”. He also said South Africans’ concerns “deserve to be heard, and they deserve to be addressed”.
Several African governments have begun evacuating citizens. On Wednesday, Nigeria repatriated some nationals from South Africa; Ghana, Zimbabwe and Malawi have already carried out evacuations, citing the seriousness of anti-migrant threats.
The migration issue is rooted in history and current economics. Many people from other African countries moved to South Africa after the end of white-minority rule in 1994, seeking better opportunities. But with the country facing unemployment above 30%, anti-migrant sentiment and protest marches have risen, and some communities have been targeted in xenophobic attacks.
