Fans who have followed the national team through 16 years of near-misses and failed qualifying campaigns know exactly what this moment means, and many of those supporters will be tracking every match through Virgin Bet when Bafana Bafana face Mexico at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on 11 June.
A painful exit that still stings
Bafana’s 2010 World Cup campaign had moments that South African football will never forget. Siphiwe Tshabalala’s thunderous left-footed strike past Oscar Perez in the opening game against Mexico was the first goal of that tournament, and it sent the entire country into celebration.
They went on to beat France 2-1 in their final group game, which was a result that meant a great deal at the time. But it was not enough to see them through. South Africa finished level on four points with Mexico and went out on goal difference, becoming the first and only host nation in World Cup history to be eliminated at the group stage.
The pain of that exit never fully went away, and the 16 years that followed without a return to the tournament only added to it. South Africa missed out on the 2014, 2018, and 2022 editions, with each qualifying campaign bringing its own set of setbacks and disappointments.
Hugo Broos changed everything
When Belgian coach Hugo Broos took charge of Bafana Bafana in 2021, few outside South Africa would have placed him among the coaches most likely to transform the national team’s fortunes. He was 69 years old, largely unknown to local fans, and working in a set-up that had struggled for consistency for years.
What followed was one of the most significant rebuilds in Bafana’s history. Broos introduced a clear structure, bringing in younger players while building the team around experienced leaders.
The results spoke for themselves. Bafana finished third at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and then topped their World Cup qualifying group ahead of Nigeria, which was no small achievement given the strength of African football at that level. A points deduction following the Teboho Mokoena eligibility controversy threatened to derail the campaign, but Bafana held their nerve and qualified outright.
The Mexico rematch
South Africa have been drawn in Group A alongside co-hosts Mexico, South Korea, and the winner of a European play-off. The opener against Mexico at the Azteca on 11 June falls exactly 16 years after Tshabalala’s goal at Soccer City.
Under the expanded 48-team format, the top two teams from each group advance automatically, with the eight best third-placed finishers also going through. Bafana have a real path to the round of 32 if they perform to their level.
What this squad can do
The players Broos has built this team around are capable of making an impression on the group stage. Burnley striker Lyle Foster leads the attack with 10 international goals to his name and Premier League experience behind him. Oswin Appollis of Orlando Pirates has been one of the standout performers in the Betway Premiership this season and will carry a great deal of South Africa’s attacking threat from wide areas.
In midfield, Teboho Mokoena is the engine of the team and one of the most important players on the pitch when Bafana are at their best. Captain Ronwen Williams is the anchor at the back and one of the finest goalkeepers the country has produced. At AFCON 2023, he saved four penalties in a single shootout against Cape Verde to send South Africa into the semi-finals.
This is a squad with real quality in key positions, and under the new 48-team format, reaching the round of 32 is a target that is well within reach if they perform in Group A.
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