The 2010 World Cup in South Africa introduced the world to the vuvuzela, the plastic horn that can fill a 50,000-person stadium with the ubiquitous sound of millions of buzzing bees. While it is mostly used at football matches in South Africa, the popularity of the vuvuzela has spread across the continent, and can now be found in stadiums around Africa.
African football fans have become known for donning long, colorful church robes in the national colors of their teams, along with giant glasses, afro wigs, scarves, head bunnies, hand gloves, and massive signs with team logos and slogans. They undoubtedly add a colorful flare to any match, and make it easy to spot supporters in the crowd.
For the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, 89 percent of Ghana was expected to tune in, but frequent power outages and unreliable access to electricity made it difficult. The Ghanian government purchased 50 megawatts of power from neighboring Côte d’Ivoire in order to stave off potential outages, and the national Public Utilities Regulatory Commission asked residents to turn off high-wattage appliances, such as deep freezers and air conditioning units.
Temperatures reach how high in Brazil? Nevertheless, their fans are covered in bright paint to display their national pride. Even when the colors start to run as excitement and heat grow, body paint is always a viable option.
Even between competing African nations, there is a sense of solidarity amongst teams and fans from the continent. As Nigeria and Algeria progressed to the round of 16 in the 2014 World Cup, supporters from Ghana, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire and beyond rallied behind their neighbors.
Dean Karlan, an economist from Yale University, created an algorithm to score each World Cup team based on its country’s population, poverty level, and interest in football to determine how much aggregate happiness a World Cup championship would bring. Nigeria came in first place, while the other four African teams all ranked within the top 10.
Within the same research study, a separate index noted how much interest there was in football in each country, using Google Trends to see how football compared with other popular sports based on search frequency in each country. Algeria, Ghana, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire all finished within the top six of World Cup countries.
If the two anthems from the 2010 World Cup in South Africa — “Waka Waka” and “Wavin’ Flag” — are any indicator, African music steps it up a notch for football. The bright sounds and catching beats of African music add an element to football matches that can’t be beat.
Seriously, what’s not to love?
The matches involving African teams at the 2014 World Cup are far and beyond considered the friendliest match-ups in the tournament. African fans cheer on fantastic plays by their opponents, maintain good will towards fellow fans and competitors, and display their passion for the game at all times.
