Football brings African continent together at Pyeongtaek tournament

PYEONGTAEK, Gyeonggi —The stadium lights suddenly went dark. Then, one by one, more than 1,300 phone flashlights flickered on across the stands at Poseung Sports Park in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi, on Sunday, illuminating the participants at the fifth annual Korea Africa Cup of Nations (Kafcon) football tournament. 

The moment truly embodied umoja — the Swahili word for unity and solidarity.

This year’s Kafcon tournament was jointly organized by a civic organization, the Korea-Africa community football association and AFRO Entertainment. The matches were held on Sunday, one day before Africa Day, an annual global commemoration on May 25 that honors anticolonial movements and unity across the African continent. 

What began as a small regional event in 2022 has expanded into a nationwide gathering drawing more than 1,300 Africans living across Korea. Pyeongtaek, home to industrial areas such as the Poseung National Industrial Complex, has become both a workplace and a second home for many employed in the manufacturing and logistics industries.

Sixteen African countries, including Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon and South Africa, participated in the tournament, with a total of 32 matches played throughout the day. The tournament began at 8 a.m. and continued until 9 p.m.

In the final, Cameroon defeated defending champion South Africa 1-0 to claim the title. Cameroonian supporters carrying national flags rushed onto the field after the final whistle and embraced players in celebration.

"Sharing joy despite coming from different countries reflects the united strength of the African community," said Christian Atoki Ileka, ambassador of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Korea, who was at the scene.

"All Africans became one here, which means everyone won," said George Harrison, deputy head of mission at the Embassy of Ghana in Korea. "The tournament could help strengthen ties between Korea and African countries at the people-to-people level."

Organizers intentionally omitted a formal opening ceremony out of concern that the event could be overshadowed by political appearances ahead of the upcoming local elections in Korea scheduled for June 3.

“The only purpose for people traveling here at their own expense is to kick a ball together and experience the value of togetherness,” a tournament organizer explained.

“Many people are paying attention to the passion and sincerity of this tournament,” said Lim Heung-se, a former coach of South Sudan's national football team. "We hope to expand the event next year with support from local governments and civic groups so it can grow into a larger football festival for African migrants living in Korea."

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

BY SONG JI-HOON [[email protected]]