South Africa 2026 World Cup Profile: Fixtures, Date, Times, Key Players to Watch, History

South Africa 2026 FIFA World Cup Fixtures, Full match schedule, Date, Kick-off Time, Venues, Key Players, History

 

South Africa joins Group A alongside Mexico, South Korea, and one TBD team. Their group-stage matches are scheduled as follows:

This marks a major opportunity for African Bafana Bafana to make an impact on the global stage. Competing against established teams like Mexico and South Korea, South Africa will rely on tactical discipline, speed, and counter-attacks to challenge their opponents and aim for a strong group-stage performance.

South Africa World Cup 2026 Overview

Confederation: CAF

South Africa's FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking

Coach: Hugo Broos

Best World Cup: Group stage (1998, 2002, 2010)

World Cup qualifications: 4 (1998, 2002, 2010, 2026)

Overall World Cup record: P9 W2 D4 L3 F11 A16

FIFA World Ranking: 60th

How they qualified: CAF qualification Group C winners

South Africa Key players to watch at World Cup

Mbekezeli Mbokazi: The 20-year-old center back has been a revelation in his debut MLS season, helping Chicago Fire FC concede just 16 goals through 14 games and was recently named an All-Star. 

Lyle Foster: With 10 goals in 27 caps, Foster is South Africa's top scoring threat. He stars for EFL Championship side Burnley. 

Ronwen Williams: South Africa's captain and goalkeeper known as a penalty-kick specialist. He famously made four PK shootout saves to send the Bafana Bafana to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations semifinals.

Relebohile Mofoken: The 29-year-old midfielder has won three South African Premiershup titles with Mamelodi Sundowns.

South Africa World Cup History

South Africa will be making their fourth World Cup appearance and first trip since hosting the tournament in 2010. 

Bafana Bafana 2026 World Cup opponents

South Africa was drawn into Group A along with the following teams:

Mexico

South Korea

Czech Republic

Bafana Bafana 2026 World Cup locations

South Africa will play their three group stage games in Mexico City, Atlanta and Monterrey, Mexico. Limited tickets for each match are available.

How many times has Bafana Bafana qualified for the World Cup?

The 2026 World Cup will be South Africa's 4th appearance in the sport's biggest tournament.

South Africa Fixtures of 2026 FIFA World Cup Schedule, kick-off times

Thu, Jun 11 – 12:00 PM ET: Mexico vs South Africa – Estadio Azteca, Mexico City

Thu, Jun 18 – 3:00 PM ET: TBD vs South Africa – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta

Wed, Jun 24 – 6:00 PM ET: South Africa vs South Korea – Estadio BBVA, Guadalupe

How to watch FIFA World Cup matches in South Africa

In South Africa, you can watch the Bafana Bafana National Team's fixtures—including the historic opening match between Mexico and South Africa—for free via SABC Sport (SABC 3) or through complete paid coverage on SuperSport.

📺 Free-to-Air Television (SABC)

Channels: SABC 3 and specialized SABC Radio Stations.

Live Streams: ⁠SABC+ (SABC Plus).

🏆 Complete Premium Coverage (SuperSport / DStv)

Channels: SuperSport Football (DStv Channel 205) and other dedicated SuperSport channels.

Live Streams: ⁠DStv Stream App

.Coverage: SuperSport is the main rights holder for Sub-Saharan Africa and will broadcast all 104 matches live 24/7 with expert analysis.

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