Source: Africa Publicity
South Africa has officially qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup — their first appearance at the tournament in 23 years.
Bafana Bafana last qualified for the World Cup in 2002, when the tournament was co-hosted by South Korea and Japan. Since then, their only participation came in 2010 as hosts, making this the first time they’ve earned qualification on merit since 2002.
Their spot at the 2026 World Cup was sealed following a convincing 3–0 victory over Rwanda in Cape Town on Tuesday evening, October 14, 2025 — ending a 16-year qualification drought.
Bafana Bafana now join six other African nations who have already secured their places at the mundial: Cape Verde, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Ghana, and Egypt.
South Africa made their World Cup debut in 1998 in France. This latest qualification marks only their fourth appearance at the global showpiece.
Under the leadership of coach Hugo Broos, the team topped their qualifying group, finishing with 18 points from a possible 30, edging out strong competition from Nigeria and Benin.
