“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does.”
This famous quote from South Africa’s first democratically elected President, Nelson Mandela, rang true once more on Thursday, June 25, 2026.
Just as it did on June 24, 1995, when the Springboks won the Rugby World Cup on home soil at Ellis Park.
Just as it did less than a year later, on February 3, 1996, when Bafana Bafana stormed to the Africa Cup of Nations title at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg.
Bafana Bafana’s Historic 2026 World Cup: A New Chapter for South African Sport
Those early sporting triumphs in the infancy of a new South Africa helped shape a national mindset that, however briefly, a brighter future for the Rainbow Nation was indeed possible.
In the early hours of Thursday morning, the national mood once again felt reminiscent of those special days before the turn of the century. Bafana beat South Korea 1-0 in their final Fifa World Cup Group A match to book a place in the knockout stages of the tournament for the first time in their history.
To put the achievement into perspective, this is only South Africa’s fourth appearance at a Fifa World Cup. It is also the first time Bafana have qualified for the tournament since 2002, having gained automatic entry as hosts in 2010.
It has been 16 years since South Africa inspired the nation as hosts of the 2010 Fifa World Cup. Yet even then, advancing to the knockout stages proved a bridge too far, despite an unforgettable 2-1 victory over France.
What made this 2026 achievement even more special was the manner in which it unfolded. Bafana looked overawed in their opening match against co-hosts Mexico, slumping to a 2-0 defeat.
Even in their second group game against Czechia, which ended in a 1-1 draw, they offered precious little attacking threat.
But when Thapelo Maseko smashed the ball into the back of the net against South Korea on this historic day, those feelings of nostalgia came flooding back. It felt as though a new chapter of South African sporting history was being written.
And indeed, it was.
@Michael_Sherman
IOL Sport
* The views expressed are not necessarily the views of IOL or Independent Media.
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