In the landscape of 19th-century sport, where international tours were rare, the arrival of the first-ever South African association football team to tour Europe in September 1899 was a truly pioneering event. Composed of 16 black amateur players and 4 white officials from Bloemfontein, Orange Free State, the team embarked on a grueling fourmonth across the UK and France.
This journey is an important, yet troubled, landmark in football history. The team’s participation in games across Britain, including the major professional leagues, represents an early, albeit largely tokenistic, show of egalitarianism in sport—allowing black players to compete against the world’s best.
A Name Shrouded in Prejudice
The team was universally referred to in the contemporary British press as ‘The Kaffirs’—a name that, today, is a deeply offensive and racist slur.
It is crucial to understand the etymology and context of this term. The word is derived from the Arabic kafir (meaning ‘infidel’ or ‘one without religion’). When the team toured, it was used in colonial South Africa as a general, though increasingly derogatory, reference to black people. It was not until the second half of the 20th century that the term was unambiguously deemed and legally banned as a hate speech slur.
It is highly unlikely that the black players chose the name, though their white South African administrators (who included Roberts, Nathan, Day, and Moss) would have been in control of the official designation. The team itself was comprised of Basuto players affiliated with the whites-only Orange Free State FA, who were themselves shopkeepers, craftsmen, and clerks—men who spoke English and held respected positions in their communities. Despite the name’s origins and later transformation, the decision of British clubs to host a team publicly known by such a label is a stark reminder of the widespread racial insensitivity and colonial attitudes of the era.
The players, led by captain Joseph Twayi (sometimes listed as Twazi), wore distinctive orange shirts with blue facings and blue shorts—the colours of the Orange Free State.
The Clash with Leicester Fosse
The tour was characterised by a mismatch in skill and professional experience. The amateur South Africans, who were unfamiliar with the tactical combination play of the British professional game, were frequently outclassed by their opponents. This pattern continued in the Midlands on Saturday, October 7, 1899, when they faced Leicester Fosse – a full match report is given at the end of this article.
In a game played at Filbert Street, the professionals of Leicester Fosse secured a decisive victory, defeating the visitors 7-3. This result was one of many heavy defeats the touring side absorbed during their intense schedule.
A Tour Marked by Racism and Ridicule
The historical significance of the tour is heavily complicated by the racism the players endured. While initially treated as any visiting sportsmen—travelling by train, staying in hotels, and being introduced to local dignitaries—the tone of the British press quickly soured.
Initial reports, which acknowledged the players as pioneers, soon switched to ridicule and humiliation. Match reports from the era used blatant racial slurs and described games in derogatory ways, with one report from the Sunderland fixture calling the game “funnier than a pantomime.” The prevailing atmosphere of social Darwinism and colonialism in Britain and South Africa was clearly reflected in the attitude shown towards the black South Africans.
Despite the scorn, the team was popular in a way, often playing in front of relatively large crowds. The tour ultimately concluded with a 7-3 defeat by Aberdare on January 2, 1900, having played 49 matches and only securing one victory (a 3-1 win against SC Tourcoing in France).
The 1899 tour remains a pivotal and complex event: a pioneering effort by black South African sportsmen to engage with the wider football world, set against a backdrop of intense prejudice and the shadow of the imminent South African War. The story of the ‘Kaffirs’ team highlights the early, troubled intersection of sport, race, and empire.
Leicester Daily Mercury – Saturday 07 October 1899