It’s August 2008, and South Africa’s Teko Modise wheels away in celebration, having just scored a 58th-minute equaliser against Australia. Bafana Bafana are buzzing, and so is the small but passionate pocket of South African fans in the crowd. But this isn't happening in Johannesburg or Sydney—or even in a rugby stadium like Loftus Versfeld. It's unfolding thousands of kilometres away, in the heart of West London.
The venue? Loftus Road, home of Queens Park Rangers. A surprising setting for an international football match between two rugby-leaning nations. But for those familiar with South African history, the surroundings feel even stranger.
As you make your way to the stadium, you pass South Africa Road, Bloemfontein Road, and Bloemfontein Avenue. You can’t help but wonder: Were these street names changed just for the match? Not quite.
Colonial Legacy in the Streets of Shepherd’s Bush
These street names, along with a local pub once named The Springbok, reflect a deeper connection to Britain’s colonial past—specifically, the Second Boer War (1899–1902).
Bloemfontein, the capital of the Free State in South Africa, was a key city in the conflict between the British Empire and the Boer republics. The British victory in that war left echoes not just in military history books, but in the naming of roads and landmarks across parts of the UK—including here, in West London.
The Springbok pub, named after South Africa’s national animal and sporting symbol, stood just a stone’s throw from the stadium on South Africa Road. It was a long-time favourite haunt of QPR supporters on matchdays. While the name has since changed to The Queen’s Tavern, the history still lingers in the bricks and mortar.
A Match Far From Home
That August evening in 2008 brought the history full circle. South Africa and Australia played out a 2–2 draw, far from their respective home crowds, in a stadium surrounded by reminders of the past.
It was an oddly fitting setting—a South African side playing under the shadow of streets named after old battlegrounds and Boer cities, thousands of miles from home.
Where Football, History, and Geography Collide
Loftus Road isn’t just the home of QPR. It also stands as a curious crossroads where sport meets imperial history, and geography tells a story of its own. Most fans walk past those street signs without a second thought. But for those who notice, they’re a reminder that football, like history, often plays out in the most unexpected of places.
If you're in town on a non-matchday, QPR offer stadium tours a few times each week. A walk through the stands of Loftus Road—just off South Africa Road—might leave you with more than just football on your mind.