South Africa at the 2026 World Cup: roster, squad, players, group and schedule

South Africa return to the World Cup for the first time since 2010, completing a remarkable turnaround under head coach Hugo Broos. When the Belgian took charge in 2021, Bafana Bafana had not qualified for a World Cup in more than a decade and were struggling to compete consistently on the continental stage. Five years later, they have reached three consecutive major tournaments, including the 2023 and 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and now the 2026 World Cup. Qualification was anything but straightforward. South Africa appeared to be cruising through their group before an administrative error saw them docked three points for fielding the suspended Teboho Mokoena in a victory over Lesotho. The setback left their World Cup hopes hanging in the balance, but Broos’ side held their nerve and ultimately finished one point ahead of Nigeria to secure a place in North America. World Cup 2026 calculator: simulate groups and matchups and generate your World Cup bracket prediction Their reward is a difficult group featuring co-hosts Mexico, South Korea and Czechia. Reaching the knockout rounds for the first time in the nation’s history will be a major challenge, but Broos has restored belief around the national team. Built around a disciplined, hard-working core and dangerous on the counterattack through players such as Relebohile Mofokeng and Oswin Appollis. Check out the World Cup rosters for all the other 47 teams at World Cup 2026 Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere. And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.