Welcome to IOL Sport’s blow-by-blow coverage of one of the most anticipated moments in recent South African sporting history.
The wait is finally over as Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos is set to announce his final squad for the 2026 Fifa World Cup on Wednesday night. The global showpiece will kick-off in Mexico City on June 11, with South Africa taking on co-hosts Mexico in the opening match.
After a gruelling, high-stakes qualification campaign that captured the imagination of the entire country, the nation stops today to find out exactly which players will bear the immense honour of representing the rainbow nation on football’s grandest global stage.
Throughout the afternoon, we will bring you the live updates, instant expert analysis, and breaking news as Bafana Bafana’s World Cup journey starts right here.
‘Politics came in’ – How Safa’s meddling turned Bafana’s 1998 World Cup dream into a ‘disaster’
The 1998 Fifa World Cup was meant to be a celebration of South Africa’s first appearance at the global quadrennial football extravaganza.
But the road to France ‘98 was one of much sadness and regret for a group of players who had bathed their country in glory just two years earlier by winning the 1996 AFCON on home soil at the first attempt, and then earning World Cup qualification under their beloved coach Clive Barker.
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Bafana’s Fifa World Cup legacy: Reliving every historic goal scored by South Africans
Nine South Africans have scored a total of 11 goals at the Fifa World Cup since Bafana Bafana’s debut in 1998.
Shaun Bartlett and Benni McCarthy are the top goalscorers for the nation at the showpiece event, with two apiece.
With Bafana Bafana set to play their first tournament in 16 years in three weeks’ time, opening against Mexico in Mexico City, we relive the goals scored by South Africans.
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The six players who face the chop ahead of Bafana’s Fifa World Cup squad announcement
At 7pm on Wednesday night, Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos will officially confirm his final 26-man squad for the prestigious trip to the Americas during a high-profile announcement at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
The overarching question ahead of the deadline is exactly how much Broos will choose to reward raw domestic form versus established tactical continuity as he trims his preliminary group down.
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‘Pray for us’: Williams rallies Mzansi ahead of historic 2026 Fifa World Cup charge
War is fought on many fronts, and Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams showed he understands that as he called on the nation to get behind the national squad and pray for the players headed for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where they will hoist the South African flag among 47 other footballing nations.
The World Cup of the Americas — to be hosted jointly by Mexico, Canada and the USA — will be played between June 11 and July 19.
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Standard Bank hosts spectacular Fifa World Cup send-off for Bafana
Banking giant Standard Bank gave Bafana Bafana a fitting send-off ahead of the 2026 Fifa World Cup at their headquarters in Rosebank on Wednesday morning.
The national team’s main sponsors rolled out the ‘blue’ carpet in style as players walked into a packed foyer through a guard of honour formed by staff members, while others watched from the building’s seven floors. Loud chants created a euphoric atmosphere, while a designated choir ensured the team received a warm welcome by proudly singing the national anthem.
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