Thierry Henry surprised that Soweto Derby rivals share seating
Former Arsenal and France striker Thierry Henry says he was surprised that Pirates and Chiefs supporters can sit near each other at the Soweto Derby, prompting debate online.
Thierry Henry has started a conversation among South African football fans after reacting to a well-known feature of the Soweto Derby: rival supporters who sit close together in the stands. The comments were reported by Briefly News.
What Henry said
The former Arsenal, Barcelona and France forward, who won the World Cup with France in 1998, discussed the topic in a radio interview with Robert Marawa on Radio 947 before today’s match at FNB Stadium.
Henry said he had learnt that followers of Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs can end up seated near one another, even though the two clubs are fierce rivals. He told the station this was out of step with his experience of other derbies, where opposing fans are generally kept apart.
He described it as one of the things that sets the Soweto fixture apart from others, and said he wanted to see it for himself.
Why he is in the country
Henry is in South Africa for the Pirates and Chiefs clash, which is being played today, Saturday 31 October 2026. According to the report, betting company Betway has said his visit is part of its activities around the game. The match also falls within the Premier Soccer League’s 30th-anniversary celebrations.
How fans responded
His remarks drew a lively response on X, with supporters split over whether the tradition is a good one.
- Some fans argued that rivals should be separated, and one said sitting among opposing supporters was not a pleasant experience for him.
- Others saw the mixed seating as a sign of progress, pointing to the violence that marked the rivalry in earlier years and saying the arrangement shows how peaceful the country has become.
- One commenter said the shared seating is part of what makes the fixture special, and recalled that trouble broke out in the past when fans were not kept apart.
- Another pointed to a practical side: families with members who back different clubs would struggle if they had to sit in separate sections when attending together.
What to know
For those heading to FNB Stadium or watching at home, the derby is today, and Henry is expected to be among those attending. Whether the seating tradition continues unchanged is not something the report addresses; it only records Henry’s surprise and the reaction from supporters online.
This story is based on reporting by Briefly News.
