Sports in South Africa

Sport in South Africa has and always will unite people from every walk of life. Who will forget that momentous occasion in 1995 when we won the Rugby World Cup, and everyone danced with joy as we showed the world how strong we are when we unite our voices, hearts and minds.

When it comes to sport, South Africans are extremely passionate. Soccer is the most popular sport in the country, with Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates firmly the fans’ favourites, and the national team, Bafana Bafana, being enthusiastically supported by its many supporters.

Rugby is also immensely popular, and the Springboks are the pride of the nation, having brought home the Rugby World Cup (1999 and 2007) and the Tri-Nations (1998, 2004 and 2009). Stadiums like Ellis Park and Loftus Versveld are the ultimate war zones on any given Saturday afternoon when local and international teams battle it out.

Cricket is a favourite with South Africans from all walks of life, and day-night games are very popular with the crowds.

South Africans do well in athletics and swimming too, the likes of Natalie du Toit and Caster Semenya showing the world not only our sporting talents, but also our tenacity of spirit. Golf is another arena in which we excel, and Major champions like Gary Player, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel have made South Africans proud.

The sound of thousands of vuvuzelas (a plastic horn) at a soccer match, the roar of the home crowd as the Springboks win again, and the thundering applause as our cricketing heroes send the competition packing … that’s the sound of being South African.