South Africa goalkeeper and captain Ronwen Williams has called for solidarity among African nations at the 2026 World Cup, urging fans to focus on football rather than political divisions.
Williams addressed recent controversy over remarks falsely attributed to him, particularly claims suggesting Africans should support Mexico in certain matches.
“I’ve been a target over the last few days for things I haven’t said. I didn’t say anything about Africa and people supporting Mexico,” the Bafana Bafana skipper said.
“I’ve always said, as Africa, we’re one, we support each other in good or bad moments. We’ve got our own problems that we deal with back home, every country…” he added.
Williams emphasised unity despite domestic challenges facing individual African countries and highlighted the vibrant multicultural atmosphere at the tournament.
“We’re in Atlanta now and I see so many Africans, Mexicans in one room, that’s the beauty of football. So let’s just enjoy, lets have a wonderful time and we leave politics to the politicians, let’s play football and criticize for what happens on the field,” he stated.
The comments come as African teams, including South Africa, compete in the expanded 2026 World Cup, seeking to strengthen continental representation on the global stage.
