Leader of South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Julius Malema, has called on African countries to rally behind South Africa’s national team as they take on Mexico in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday, June 11.
His appeal comes amid growing debate on social media, where some users across the continent have expressed support for the Mexican team, citing recent concerns over xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals, particularly Africans, in South Africa.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, June 11, Mr. Malema urged unity among Africans, insisting that recent tensions should not be used to divide the continent.
“All African countries must rally their support behind South Africa tonight against Mexico,” he said.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off on Thursday night as co-hosts Mexico face South Africa in the tournament’s opening Group A fixture at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, the first of 104 matches in football’s biggest-ever expanded tournament.
The fixture carries a beautiful sense of history. Sixteen years ago in Johannesburg, these two nations shared a 1-1 draw in the opening game of the 2010 World Cup with Siphiwe Tshabalala’s stunning opener and Rafael Márquez’s equaliser etched permanently into World Cup folklore. Thursday night is a nostalgic flip of that script, this time on Mexican soil.
