South Africa’s History in the world Cup
Special Report:
There is no questioning that South Africa has amply prepared to host a spectacular and memorable extravaganza.
The 2010 FIFA World Cup coming to the continent symbolizes the great evolution of soccer in South Africa, from the vestiges of apartheid to where it is honoured and recognized as the country’s number-one sport.
Currently, South Africa has close to 2 million registered players, and millions more armchair enthusiasts who make up the highest television audiences and the greatest number of spectators, week after week. These are the measures of success. Since the united South African Football Association (SAFA) was formed in 1991, the beautiful game has made notable strides, establishing a strong infrastructure as a platform for the people’s passion for the game, and creating a country that can support the game from grassroots to the highest level in the world.
In only 12 years, South Africa has proven itself as a positive, contributing member of the global soccer body, entering teams in every South Africa reach far back into the 19th century.
In a way, the game within South Africa has been a reflection of reality and change on a broader social level, and as such, racial inequality was systematically enforced within the game’s official rules. South Africans played soccer in the way that they lived—separately. There was a “whites-only” Football Association of South Africa, later to be known as FASA, formed in 1892. Segregation permeated all aspects of life, including sport, as evidence in the SA Indian Football Association (SAIFA), the SA Bantu Football Association (SABFA) and the SA Coloured Football Association (SACFA), launched in 1903, 1933 and 1936 respectively.
With no shortage of acronyms, there was an Inter Race Soccer Board which did organize a few games between these racial associations during the 1940s, when there was no law against mixed sport, but any potential integration was killed by the introduction of formal apartheid laws in 1948.
The geography of South African soccer was set in stone, with whites playing in their own club structures, feeding the “whites-only” national team, and psychologically being geared towards Europe. Meanwhile, blacks were designated to somehow to play the game amongst themselves, without funding or facilities or support.
In 1958, FIFA officially recognized the white body, FASA, as the sole governing body of soccer in South Africa and the National Football League was launched in 1959 as the country’s first entirely professional club league. Originally, the league consisted of 12 clubs, and drew an audience of more than 500,000 spectators watched the league and cup matches—that number continuing to grow as the league matured.
Racial integration in sports was a stepping stone to the demise of apartheid in South Africa. On December 8, 1991, The South African Football Association was formed. The SAFA incorporated four distinct racially divided soccer units under its umbrella and the delegation was welcomed with a standing ovation when they attended the CAF Congress in Dakar, Senegal a month later. South Africa’s FIFA membership was confirm at their 1992 congress, with membership automatically following, bringing South Africa back up on the world stage. Five World Cups later, and they are the Host Country!
*This information was organised by the South African 2010 Local Organising Committee.
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