PROSPER NATION
Dr Nik Eberl|Published
Sixteen years ago, I watched South Africa achieve something extraordinary. As part of the tourism strategy effort surrounding the 2010 FIFA World Cup, I had a front-row seat to one of the most remarkable nation-building projects in our democratic history.
While the world saw packed stadiums, colourful vuvuzelas and unforgettable football moments, those of us involved behind the scenes witnessed something even more powerful.
We watched a nation come together.
For one brief but unforgettable period, South Africans seemed to set aside their differences and unite behind a common purpose.
We were not defined by politics, race, language or ideology. We were united by a shared determination to show the world—and ourselves—what South Africa was capable of.
That experience left me with a lesson that remains as relevant today as it was in 2010: the greatest legacy of the FIFA World Cup was not the stadiums we built. It was the belief we built.
As Bafana Bafana pursues its journey toward the 2026 FIFA World Cup, South Africa has an opportunity to rediscover that spirit.
Today, we face significant challenges. Economic growth remains sluggish.
Youth unemployment continues to rob millions of young people of hope and opportunity. Public confidence in institutions has weakened, while social media often amplifies division rather than unity.
Yet I am convinced there is another South Africa that still exists beneath the headlines. I saw it in 2010.
Before the tournament, international commentators predicted failure. Many doubted our ability to host an event of such magnitude.
Questions were raised about security, transport systems, infrastructure and organisational capacity. South Africans heard those doubts.
But instead of accepting them, we responded with determination. Government departments collaborated. Businesses invested. Communities mobilised.
Volunteers stepped forward. Tourism operators prepared for unprecedented numbers of international visitors. Ordinary citizens embraced the opportunity to become ambassadors for the nation.
What emerged was far more than a successful sporting event. It was a national confidence project.
One of the initiatives I had the privilege of helping develop was the Bafana Fan Club. The concept was simple. If every South African could not play for Bafana Bafana, they could become part of the team’s extended family.
We invited South Africans from every corner of the country to pledge their allegiance to the national team and become official supporters on the road to the World Cup.
The response exceeded all expectations. More than one million South Africans pledged their allegiance. They were not merely supporting a football team.
They were embracing a national cause. The campaign created a powerful sense of belonging and ownership, reminding people that they were part of South Africa’s World Cup story.
Another initiative was the Fan World Cup, where fan teams from participating nations travelled to South Africa to compete in their own international tournament.
While the world’s greatest footballers battled for glory in the official competition, ordinary supporters from around the globe forged friendships, shared cultures and built connections that transcended borders. Long before “people-to-people diplomacy” became a popular phrase, we were witnessing its power firsthand.
Perhaps the most profound lesson came through the Welcome Your Visitor campaign and the South African Brand Ambassador Programme.
The idea behind these initiatives was that every South African had the potential to become an ambassador for the country. We encouraged citizens to welcome visitors, share their stories, showcase our culture and help create memorable experiences for guests from around the world.
The objective was not simply to host a successful event. It was to create millions of positive interactions. The results were extraordinary. South Africa achieved a visitor Net Promoter Score of 92%—the highest recorded among FIFA World Cup host nations at the time. Visitors did not leave talking only about our stadiums or infrastructure. They left talking about our people.
They remembered the warmth.
They remembered the hospitality. They remembered the smiles. Most importantly, they remembered how South Africans made them feel.
That achievement carries an important lesson for us today. The success of 2010 was not delivered by government alone. It was not created by sponsors, organisers or football administrators. It was created by millions of South Africans who chose to participate in something bigger than themselves.
The true legacy of the World Cup was not physical infrastructure. It was social infrastructure. Trust was built between strangers. Pride was built within communities. Confidence was built within a nation. Most importantly, belief was built among citizens.
As someone who has spent much of my career studying leadership, reputation and nation branding, I have come to believe that countries succeed largely because of the stories they tell themselves.
Successful nations are not necessarily those with the most resources. They are often those with the strongest sense of shared identity and collective ambition. They believe they can succeed. And because they believe it, they behave differently. They collaborate. They invest. They innovate. They solve problems together.
That is why sport matters. Not because football can solve unemployment. Not because football can fix infrastructure.
Not because football can drive economic growth on its own. Sport matters because it creates something increasingly rare in modern society: common ground.
When Bafana Bafana takes the field, millions of South Africans who may disagree on almost everything else suddenly find themselves united behind the same outcome. For ninety minutes, we become one nation. That should not be underestimated.
In a society that often feels fragmented, institutions capable of creating social cohesion are enormously valuable. The national team reminds us that despite our differences, we are still connected by a common identity. We are South Africans.
As Bafana Bafana pursues qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, perhaps the greatest opportunity before us is not merely to support a football team.
It is to recreate a national movement. A movement that encourages participation. A movement that celebrates excellence. A movement that reminds South Africans what becomes possible when we work together.
Dr Nik Eberl is the founder and executive chair: The Future of Jobs Summit™ (Official T20 Side Event). He is also the author of Nation of Champions: How South Africa won the World Cup of Destination Branding).
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