South Africa’s World Cup Past Revealed Ahead of 2026 Draw: Who Could Stand in Their Way This Time?
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw fast approaching, here’s a refreshed look at Bafana Bafana’s opponents at every edition of the global spectacle they’ve appeared in — and what awaits coach Hugo Broos as he prepares for the next chapter.
Bafana will take to the world stage for the fourth time next year in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Notably, South Africa will again be chasing history, having never progressed beyond the group stage at a World Cup.
1998 – France: The Debut
South Africa’s first World Cup appearance came in 1998, where they were drawn in Group C alongside Denmark, Saudi Arabia, and eventual champions France.
Bafana finished third:
Lost 3–0 to France
Drew with Denmark
Drew with Saudi Arabia
2002 – South Korea & Japan: The First Win
Bafana qualified again in 2002, earning a place in Group B with Spain, Paraguay, and Slovenia.
Key moments:
Opened with a 2–2 draw vs Paraguay
Secured their first-ever World Cup victory, beating Slovenia 1–0 thanks to Siyabonga Nomvethe
Narrowly missed the knockouts after a close defeat to Spain, finishing level on points with Paraguay but losing out on goals scored
2010 – South Africa: The Emotional Home World Cup
Hosting the tournament remains Bafana’s most iconic appearance. Drawn in Group A with Mexico, Uruguay, and France, South Africa:
Drew with Mexico
Lost to Uruguay
Beat France 2–1
Despite the historic win, they became the first host nation not to reach the round of 16.
Broos Heads to Washington for the 2026 Draw
Bafana coach Hugo Broos will discover South Africa’s 2026 World Cup opponents on Friday in Washington, DC. The tournament runs from June 11 to July 26, across the USA, Mexico, and Canada.
His journey this week began in Belgium, where he named his final squad for the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Morocco. South Africa will face Egypt, Angola, and Zimbabwe in Group B, opening their campaign on December 22 against Angola.
Broos also named Mduduzi Shabalala, Iqraam Rayners, and Thabo Moloisane on standby, stressing the importance of readiness for unexpected injuries.
How the 2026 World Cup Draw Works
48 teams, divided into 12 groups of four
Teams seeded into pots based on FIFA rankings
Groups cannot feature two nations from the same confederation (except UEFA, which may have two per group)
Hosts placed automatically:
Mexico → Group A
USA → Group D
Canada → Group B
A new knockout-format rule ensures the top four seeds — Spain, Argentina, France, England — cannot meet before the semifinals, provided they all win their groups.
The 2026 World Cup Pots
Pot 1: Mexico, USA, Canada, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany
Pot 2: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria, Australia
Pot 3: Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa
Pot 4: Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, four UEFA playoff winners, two intercontinental playoff winners