Mama Joy Throws Shade at Gayton McKenzie After World Cup Trip Snub in Mexico
- Mama Joy has arrived in Mexico for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where she has been sharing moments from the tournament
- The former Royal AM superfan reportedly threw subtle shade linked to her ongoing tension with Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie
- She travelled to the global showpiece through a privately funded sponsorship deal after missing out on an official fan delegation
Don't miss out! Join Briefly News Sports channel on WhatsApp now!
The tension between football fan Joy Chauke, popularly known as Mama Joy, and Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie appears far from over after Chauke seemingly threw shade at McKenzie during the 2026 FIFA World Cup opener between South Africa and Mexico in Mexico City.
Source: UGC
The two clashed before the tournament after Mama Joy was left out of a government-selected group of supporters sent to rally behind the national team at the World Cup. She later revealed that she instead secured private sponsorship to attend the global showpiece.
Mama Joy travels to Mexico through private funding
She was initially expected to miss the tournament following a heated exchange with McKenzie on social media, but later confirmed an ambassadorial deal with the emerging African sports brand abOVEnormal, which fully funded her trip.
PAY ATTENTION: stay informed and follow us on Google News!
The former Orlando Pirates superfan, who previously had ties with MaMkhize’s now-defunct Royal AM, took to X on Friday, 12 June, where she shared moments from her time in Mexico. Since her arrival, she has been trending online and has been seen interacting with Mexican fans ahead of Bafana Bafana’s opening match.
While the Department of Sport has funded a “lucky fan” delegation to the host nation, Chauke travelled independently on a privately funded trip. Unlike the official delegation, which is only expected to attend the opening match, Mama Joy has indicated that she will attend all of Bafana Bafana’s World Cup matches live in stadiums.
Social media reaction and a continued subtle dig at the Minister
She has also continued to post subtle remarks perceived as directed at the Minister, capitalising on the media attention surrounding her trip
In one of her posts on X, she wrote:
@JoyChauke5
“Mama Joy only Superfan shown on TV during Bafana Bafana and Mexico FIFA World Cup 2026. They needed superfans, not lucky fans. Lol, Mamoola Mama Joy is international, yes or no? Jealous down.”
Source: Getty Images
Her post received mixed reactions, with some social media users showing support while others criticised the ongoing tension.
@TumieChumu wrote:
“McKenzie scored an own goal with this lady. He made a very dumb decision. Certain fans must be permanent and selected through a proper process. She has supported Bafana Bafana long before Hugo Broos and McKenzie. She didn’t support the team for fame.”
@EzamaCirha commented:
“They can’t keep a good man down. They can say whatever, but you’ve shown that you love your sport, mama ❤️.”
@PixieDustyMyDog added:
“McKenzie is jealous of this poor woman. He just had to strip away her job.”
As seen in the post below.
Mama Joy addresses previous World Cup funding
Briefly News previously reported that Mama Joy addressed the issue of the 2026 FIFA World Cup ticket she's having with Gayton McKenzie.
Mama Joy went on an interview to confirm how she had earlier funded her trips to the previous World Cups she attended in support of South Africa.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
