South Africa’s Minister of Sports, Arts, and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, has sparked continental controversy after publicly declaring his desire to see Nigeria’s Super Eagles excluded from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
McKenzie made the contentious remarks during a live interview on Radio 947 in Johannesburg, where he accused Nigeria of working covertly to undermine South Africa’s World Cup qualification campaign.
“I want to make it very clear that I wish for them not to qualify,” McKenzie stated. “I knew what they did behind the scenes for us not to get there. I want them to lose; they will not go to the World Cup, and another African country must go.”
The minister’s inflammatory comments follow a turbulent qualifying campaign that saw South Africa initially penalised by FIFA for fielding an ineligible player, a development that threatened their participation in the global tournament. Nigeria exploited the situation, securing victories in their final two qualifying matches to maintain their World Cup hopes.
However, South Africa ultimately secured their qualification spot with a commanding 3-0 victory over Rwanda, marking Bafana Bafana’s first World Cup appearance since the 2010 tournament they hosted.
McKenzie, a former gang member who transitioned into politics, compared the Nigeria-South Africa rivalry to the fierce domestic competition between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates.
“It’s not that I don’t like Nigeria,” he explained. “I give the energy you give. They don’t like us and we don’t like them, that is all. It’s like Chiefs and Pirates.”
The minister’s remarks have triggered widespread reactions across social media platforms, with numerous Nigerian football enthusiasts calling for African solidarity ahead of the global competition.
Nigeria currently faces a crucial continental playoff against Gabon scheduled for November. Should the Super Eagles prevail, they would advance to a final qualifying match against either Congo DR or Cameroon, with the winner earning a place in the intercontinental playoff for World Cup qualification.
The Sports Minister’s public declaration represents an unusual diplomatic stance, with government officials typically maintaining neutrality in sporting competitions between African nations.
