It is unfortunate that Bafana Bafana had to rescue themselves from a hole dug by a Safa administrative bungle, which cost the team three points and came close to jeopardising its chances of qualifying for the 2026 Fifa World Cup.
The boys survived Safa’s own goal through dogged determination, and rose against the odds to secure their spot with a stylish victory on the final day of Africa’s qualification campaign — albeit being helped by Nigeria’s defeat of Benin — to finish top of the group.
Despite the ineptitude of Safa, coach Hugo Broos will see his Bafana line up among the 48 countries that will compete on football’s global stage at the 2026 event, to be jointly co-hosted by Mexico, Canada and the United States.
This generation of players have restored the respect and pride of South Africans in the Bafana badge. Whereas in the past sponsors were reluctant — and rightly so — to look in Bafana’s direction, this team undoubtedly deserves sponsorship and support from companies.
While they deserve the plaudits for returning to the world stage, qualifying is but part of the journey. In North America next year, Bafana must go one better than their predecessors by progressing beyond the group stage for the first time. May the force be with them.
More pressing, however, is the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), starting in December. Bafana’s bronze finish at the last Afcon has ed to expectations that the 1996 African winners can return from Morocco in January as champions. Hopefully by that time Safa will not be led by egotistic individuals, but by men and women whose off-the-field leadership will inspire more magical moments from Bafana.
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