LOS ANGELES, United States — South Africa captain Ronwen Williams has expressed shock and disappointment after seeing many African supporters back Mexico during Bafana Bafana’s opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, admitting the reaction left members of the squad deeply hurt.
South Africa suffered a 2-0 defeat to Mexico in their Group A opener, with Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez scoring for the North Americans. However, speaking after the match, Williams said the result was made even more painful by what he described as a lack of support from fellow Africans in the stands.
As Okay News reports, the South African goalkeeper said he was surprised to see many African fans cheering for Mexico instead of backing the continent’s representatives at the tournament.
“Africans have always supported other African countries in every World Cup tournament, but I can’t figure out why our own case is different,” Williams said. “Many Africans supported Mexico, not us, the South Africans. We almost shed tears, but it’s truly sad.”
The Bafana Bafana captain called for greater unity among African nations at major international competitions, stressing that countries from the continent should stand behind one another regardless of national differences.
“As Africans, let’s stand for each other, let’s stand together,” he added.
South Africa’s defeat leaves them facing an uphill task in Group A as they seek a place in the knockout rounds. The match also saw disciplinary issues, with South Africa finishing with nine men after red cards for Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane, while Mexico defender César Montes was also sent off in stoppage time.
Williams’ comments have since sparked debate online, with some supporters agreeing that African teams deserve continental backing on the global stage. Others pointed to past incidents of xenophobia in South Africa, arguing that such tensions have affected relations with citizens of other African countries and influenced their support during the tournament.
