The cheers of the victorious Senegal supporters had barely died down when the catcalls began. South Africa, the continent's most industrialised economy, had been knocked out of the African Cup of Nations in humiliating fashion. As their players trudged off the pitch, rival fans from across the continent taunted them with chants of 'Load shedding, load shedding' and 'Eskom, Eskom.' The mockery was a brutal reminder that on the pitch, as off it, the rainbow nation is struggling to keep the lights on.
But for many British economists watching from afar, the real humiliation was not South Africa's early exit, but the tournament's financial model. 'This is a classic case of conspicuous consumption masking structural weakness,' said Dr. Evelyn Grant, an economist at the London School of Economics. 'African nations pour millions into hosting these events, but the returns are fleeting. The money flows to FIFA, to broadcasters, to the construction firms—rarely to the workers who built the stadiums or the small traders who hoped for a boom.'
Grant's words echoed the criticism that has followed the African Cup of Nations for years. The tournament is meant to showcase the continent's rising power, but for many host nations it becomes a debt trap. South Africa's 2010 World Cup left a legacy of white elephant stadiums and unfulfilled promises. Now the cycle repeats. 'The economics of sport in Africa is a mirage,' said Peter Hughes, a sports finance analyst in Manchester. 'You borrow money to build infrastructure you don't need, then you pay it back with interest while your people queue for bread.'
Yet the anger of the fans was not about spreadsheets. It was about pride. South Africa has long seen itself as the continent's economic powerhouse, a beacon of modernity. But in recent years, rolling blackouts, high unemployment, and rising inequality have chipped away at that image. The football defeat was a symbol of a deeper crisis. 'They laugh at us because we cannot even keep the electricity on,' said Thabo Molefe, a teacher from Soweto watching the match in a Johannesburg bar. 'And now we cannot even win a game.'
For British pundits, the tournament also exposed the growing gap between Europe's wealthy leagues and Africa's grassroots. 'The best African players are all in England, Spain, France,' said former Premier League striker Gary Neville in a controversial segment on Sky Sports. 'Their clubs get the talent, they pay the wages, they reap the rewards. The national teams get the scraps. It's a colonial pipeline, plain and simple.'
Neville's comments drew swift backlash, but they highlighted an uncomfortable truth. The African Cup of Nations, like the World Cup, is a business. And in business, the house always wins. The question is whether the house will ever be in Africa. As South Africa's players flew home, the chants of 'Load shedding' followed them. On the streets of Johannesburg, the lights flickered and failed. The real match, as ever, is for the kitchen table. And the score is not good.
