By Thebe Mabanga
This evening, South Africa takes its place on football’s biggest stage as one of 48 nations from a field of 211 FIFA member associations competing at the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup in Mexico, the United States and Canada.
Bafana Bafana begin their campaign against hosts Mexico at the iconic 87,000-seat Estadio Azteca, the largest stadium in Latin America and one of the most storied venues in world football.
South Africa’s objective should be twofold.
First, Hugo Broos’s side must aim to exceed expectations and reach the knockout stages, whether by securing second place behind Mexico or by progressing as one of the tournament’s best third-placed teams ahead of Czechia or South Korea, their other Group A opponents.
South Africa plays Czechia in Atlanta on June 18 and the South Korea in Monterey, where the Sustainable Development Goals were adopted, in the early hours of the 25
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