By Baraka John
In Yambio, the capital of Western Equatoria State, football is more than a game. It’s the heartbeat of the community, a space where pride, passion, and identity collide. Every weekend, Yambio Freedom Square fills with fans waving flags, chanting songs, and cheering their favorite teams. But beneath the energy and celebration lies a darker truth: football has also become a breeding ground for hate speech and division.
Mathew Gaaniko Khamis became a victim of this hate and tribal discrimination. He was simply a fan who had gone to enjoy the beautiful game of football at Yambio Freedom Square when he received insults from the opposing fans whose team was trailing 4 – 0 in the first half.
“They said I am not their tribe mate, I am not from their state, nor part of them since I came from somewhere and the teams that I support are fake teams,” said Khamis. “I felt like football is about love, joy, unity, not about tribalism,” he added.
Khamis said he felt discriminated against even though he is from South Sudan and has the right to live anywhere of his choosing.
“The most painful insults I received are that you are a single tribe, you look dark in skin, you are ugly people,” said Khamis.
Since the incident, Khamis made up his mind not to attend any football match at Yambio Freedom Square again to avoid hateful words.
What should be a unifying event is increasingly marred by tribal insults, verbal abuse, and personal attacks hurled from the stands. The tension often spills beyond the pitch, turning games into flashpoints for hostility.
During the latest edition of the Yambio Inter-Area Tournament, excitement quickly gave way to chaos as chants of abuse sparked riots among fans. The insults went far beyond football, targeting families, ethnic groups, and personal identities.
It is not peculiar to hear derogatory words against players or officials during live football matches at the Freedom Square. Words such as: “You are from the east, you look malnourished, you are dark, you are brown, you look like a foreigner, and you are a dirty community with bad behaviours”. Fans abusing players
For coaches like Giden Amos Kpasira Bernado, who leads Villa United, this is not just noise from the stands; it’s a serious threat to the sport itself.
“We do experience negative speech hear from both coaches, players and management. The way we are here in Yambio currently, I think negative speech has been included and that’s why you see the performances is not all that the best here in Yambio,” said Kpasira. “Verbal abuse, insults, name calling and extreme criticism from coaches or management can even damage a player’s confidence and mental health during a time a person is playing,” he added.
Kpasira believes strict measures are needed: banning fans or officials who engage in hate speech, and educating supporters about the long-term harm it causes.
For lifelong supporter Tomoyo David, 28, football in Yambio has always been a source of joy. But lately, he says, the atmosphere feels different, more threatening.
“Fans are no longer just cheering for their teams. They are insulting tribes, families, and identities,” he explained. “Many supporters don’t even know the rules governing football here. They act out of loyalty to their clubs, but it creates chaos that’s hard to control.”
David wants clubs and football authorities to step in with awareness campaigns and tough penalties for those spreading hate.
According to Onerio Olal, Secretary of the Yambio Football Association, hate speech leaves lasting scars on those inside the game.
“It affects referees and players emotionally. Sometimes they are judged not for their skills, but for their tribe or background,” he said. “We have rules, and we enforce them. Hate speech can never unite people,” he added
Still, despite regulations, the problem persists, suggesting football’s hate speech crisis reflects deeper social fractures.
Local football commentator Bongomin Joshua Walter says the hostility in Yambio’s football culture shows the divisions in wider society.
“The game of football should bring joy and peace. Instead, hate speech is turning the pitch into a battleground,” Walter noted. “The Yambio Football Association must take the lead in disciplining offenders, launch awareness campaigns, and emphasize respect both on and off the field.”
A Legal Gap
Beyond football, the country’s legal system struggles to address hate speech. Activist Wani Stephen, Deputy Secretary-General of the South Sudan Bar Association, says South Sudan’s penal code is outdated and ill-equipped to handle the rising tide of ethnic insults both online and offline.
“The law we use today was written in 2008, when South Sudan was still part of Sudan. It doesn’t specifically address ethnic hate speech or incitement,” he explained during a June 2025 workshop on countering hate speech.
This legal loophole makes it difficult for authorities to hold perpetrators accountable, leaving communities vulnerable to the same divisions that echo through Yambio’s football stadiums.
In a joint effort to end hate speech, the Journalists for Human Rights is intensifying its efforts to combat hate speech and disinformation in South Sudan, with a recent focus on empowering local journalists in Yambio to challenge harmful narratives and promote peace through accurate, ethical journalism.
In July, JHR conducted a specialized workshop in Yambio, bringing together journalists from a local radio station. The training focused on identifying and countering hate speech, misinformation, and disinformation, particularly in communities vulnerable to conflict and division.
“This story is reported with a grant from Journalists for Human Rights under the ‘Tackling Mis/Disinformation Project,’ funded by the Peace and Stabilization Program of the Government of Canada.”