Fifa World Cup 2026: What you need to know about South Africa

All of South Africa’s matches will also be covered live on the BBC Sport website and app with updates, analysis, and fan reaction. Come and be part of it!

Give me a fact to impress my friends

Head coach Hugo Broos will briefly overtake one of his predecessors as South Africa manager, Otto Rehhagel, as the oldest coach in World Cup history.

Rehhagel, from Germany, was 71 years and 317 days in 2010. Broos will hold the record for just seven hours though.

The Czech Republic’s Miroslav Koubek, also 74, is seven months older and his team play later on the opening day, while Curacao’s Dick Advocaat, 78, will usurp both three days later.

Now give me some proper detail

South Africa have arrived in North America full of confidence after a strong qualifying campaign. It’s a welcome return for Bafana Bafana who last appeared at the 2010 World Cup, which they hosted.

Unfortunately, the sound of the vuvuzelas lasted considerably longer than the team, who failed to make it past the group stage.

This squad look a different proposition, with Belgian head coach Hugo Broos, 74, getting the best out of his players. A tough opener against co-hosts Mexico awaits.

Curiously, Broos played against Mexico in the opening match of the 1986 World Cup, although Belgium lost 2-1. Forty years later, history is repeating itself.

“You can’t plan something like that,” he said. “It’s beautiful.” A win in Mexico City – as big a task as it is – would put them in touching distance of the knockout rounds for the first time.

South Africa are compact defensively, quick in transition, and can be a match for most teams but there is always the potential for things to unravel.

Their inspirational captain and goalkeeper Ronwen Williams probably illustrated that best when he became the first netminder to save four penalties in an African Cup of Nations shootout, and then became the first player to fall foul of the new ‘eight-second’ goalkeeping rule at last year’s Club World Cup.

From one extreme to the other. South Africa just hope that this long overdue World Cup appearance will be a positive one.

How have South Africa done at previous World Cups?

Despite not making it out of the group stage in any of their three previous World Cups, Bafana Bafana have only lost three of their nine matches, and none on their debut in 1998. They famously beat France in 2010.