Bafana Bafana will face Mexico, South Korea and the winner of European play-off D in the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Bafana Bafana’s group stage opponents for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have been revealed following the World Cup draw in Washington D.C. on Friday,
South Africa was the first nation drawn from pot 3 at the draw and have been placed in group A alongside co-host nation Mexico, South Korea and the winner of European play-off D, which will either be Czechia, Ireland, North Macedonia or Denmark.
The European play-offs are set to take place in March 2026, with Bafana Bafana learning their final group opponent on 31 March.
South Africa will face Mexico in the opening game of the tournament for the second time in World Cup history.
The two sides met in the 2010 World Cup opener in South Africa at Soccer City in Johannesburg, with the clash ending in a 1-1 draw.
Bafana Bafana and Mexico have faced one another on four previous occasions, including in 2010, with the North American nation winning 4-0 in Los Angeles in 1993 and 4-2 in Dallas in 2000. The African country’s only win against Mexico came in Concacaf Gold Cup in 2005, where Bafana Bafana emerged 2-1 victors in California.
South Korea and South Africa have never faced one another before, with the Asian team currently sitting as the third ranking nation from the continent and the 22nd best in the world, according to the FIFA rankings.
The global showpiece is being jointly hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico and will run from 11 June to 19 July next year.
After a strong showing in the qualifiers Bafana Bafana will be looking to make history and advance from the group stage for the first time at the global showpiece.
