World Cup 2026: Mexico 2-0 South Africa – Nightmare for Bafana Bafana as continent hates clock

South Africa became the continent’s first nation to host the World Cup in 2010, with pan-African unity in abundance as Ghana reached the quarter-finals.

Sixteen years cannot be said the same as many fans across the continent supported Mexico over Bafana Bafana on Thursday.

It is partial response Anti-immigrant protests and violence in South Africa, which has prompted other African countries to repatriate some of their citizens.

South African officials have condemned the violence and stressed that their country is not xenophobic.

But with many on the continent happy to see South Africa lose, Elisha Kamau organized a ‘hate-watch’ party in Nairobi.

“About 200 people turned up and almost all of them were supporting Mexico,” he told Newsday on the BBC World Service.

“In Kenya, generally speaking, people are less supportive of Senegal and Cameroon and the Central African states and South Africa and Morocco.

“I think the second reason is the timing of the xenophobic attacks. It depends on who South Africa is playing, but I think most people will support the other team.”

Daniel Kaniki, a Congolese fan who watched the game at a fan park in the US city of Atlanta, told BBC Sport Africa: “Africa is like a country and if one chases others, we are no longer a family. That’s why I support Mexico.”

However, not everyone agreed.

In the fan park, Ghanaian vanguard Quist said he was rooting for South Africa, adding that he was a “proud African”.

He blamed the anti-immigrant sentiment in South Africa on a few.