South African football is currently in a good place. Bafana Bafana had an impressive Africa Cup of Nations campaign in 2024, have qualified for the next tournament, and are well placed to book their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.
On the women’s front, Banyana Banyana are currently the African champions, and gave a good account of themselves at the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. In that tournament, Desiree Ellis’ team made history by becoming the first South African team to reach the knock-out stages of a senior football World Cup.
Even the kids are doing well. South Africa’s Under-20s, Amajita, will face Morocco in Sunday’s CAF Under 20 Africa Cup of Nations final after beating Nigeria, and have already booked their spot in the Under-20 World Cup in Chile in September and October.
On the club side, Mamelodi Sundowns have also been thriving. Next week, they will take on Pyramids in the final of the CAF Champions League, and next month, they will be in action in the revamped FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.
It’s been a good couple of years for South African football, and credit should go to the coaches and players because the administrators haven’t got a clue what they’re doing.
The work that Hugo Broos has done to turn Bafana Bafana around after a number of disappointing years is commendable. He’s built a competitive team that features a lot of locally based players, something that’s not often seen on the African continent
Similarly, Ellis has proved that she’s one of the best coaches in the country, male or female. Her team continue to grow, and are well placed to defend their title at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations later this year.
It shouldn’t be forgotten that all of this success is happening at a time when the South African Football Association is not in a good place. The federation is cash-strapped, and has to rely on an advance of a government grant to ensure that staff get paid.
On top of that, administrators are not painting SAFA in a positive light. Last year, SAFA president Danny Jordaan was arrested and charged with fraud over allegations he used the federation’s bank account as his own.
But, despite the dysfunction at the administrative level, our national teams continue to thrive.
That resilience is a testament to the passion, talent, and determination that exists within South African football. While the suits in the boardrooms stumble, the players on the pitch and the coaches on the touchline continue to carry the nation’s footballing hopes with pride and excellence.
If anything, the current success is a powerful reminder of what could be achieved with better leadership at the top. For now, South Africa can celebrate the fact that its footballing heartbeat remains strong — not because of the system, but in spite of it.
IOL Sport
* The views expressed are not necessarily the views of IOL or Independent Media.
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