South Africa captain Ronwen Williams has called for unity among African nations and urged supporters to keep politics separate from football following his side's 2-0 defeat to Mexico in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Speaking at a post-match press conference in Atlanta, Williams said he was disappointed by some of the criticism and attacks directed at players over political issues in their home countries.

He stressed that footballers should be judged on their performances on the pitch rather than matters beyond their control.

Williams' comments come amid ongoing criticism of South Africa over reports of intimidation and hostility toward immigrants in some parts of the country. The issue has attracted attention across Africa and internationally, prompting debate on social media and in public discourse. Some Africans have also expressed disappointment over the situation, with a section of football fans indicating they would withhold support for South Africa at the World Cup because of the controversy.

“We've all got our own politics, our own problems and our own fights that we deal with back home,” Williams said.

He noted that he and his country have faced criticism over issues unrelated to football and emphasised that players are human beings who are also affected by such situations.

“You want to focus on doing your job, which is being a footballer, but then you get involved in politics and you don't want to be in that space,” he said.

Williams described sport as a powerful tool for bringing people together and pointed to the diverse mix of supporters gathered in Atlanta for the World Cup.

“We are in Atlanta now and I see so many Africans, South Africans and people from Mexico in one room. That's the beauty of sport. That's the beauty of football,” he stated.

The South African captain called on fans to enjoy the tournament and allow politicians to deal with political matters.

“Let us just play football, enjoy ourselves and criticise what happens on the field. Off the field, we can't deal with that,” he said.

Williams also urged Africans to support one another and remain united.

“As Africa, let's unite and let's keep going because we are all in this together,” he added.

South Africa opened their World Cup campaign with a 2-0 loss to Group A leaders Mexico and will next face the Czech Republic in their second match today June 18.

The remaining Group A fixtures include:

- South Africa vs Czechia

- Mexico vs South Korea

- Czechia vs Mexico

- South Africa vs South Korea