Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has highlighted the importance of sticking to the game-plan when they kick off the 2026 World Cup against Mexico at the Estadio Azteca on Thursday, 11 June.
Kick-off is at 9pm CAT (SA, GMT+2).
CURRENT FORM:
South Africa have been in this situation before after opening the 2010 edition as hosts against El Tri, although the roles are now reversed.
Broos' side have struggled for results in the three months leading up to the global showpiece, failing to win any of their four friendly matches.
Bafana drew 1-1 with Panama on 27 March before losing 2-1 to the same opposition four days later, while they were also held to stalemates by Nicaragua (0-0) on 29 May and Jamaica (1-1) on 6 June.
Mexico are unbeaten this year after a turnaround in fortunes that saw them go winless in their final six games of 2025 since beating the United States 2-1 in the Gold Cup final.
Javier Aguirre's side racked up wins against Los Canaleros (1-0), Bolivia (1-0), Iceland (4-0), Ghana (2-0), Australia (1-0), and Serbia (5-1), while they drew with Portugal (0-0) and Belgium (1-1).
El Tri have qualified for the last eight World Cups and they have a good opening record, winning five, drawing two, and only losing once at the start of the tournament.
WHAT WAS SAID:
Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos
"We know what to do against Mexico. We know what to do when they have the ball and when we have possession. The final details will be worked on in our next two training sessions. Everything is focused on this game.
"They are all dangerous, they are a very good team with much movement and solidarity. You can see they really want to be world champions.
"You can see that with the way they play. We will have to be at our best level if we want to get a result. It is a very complete team.
"For us it will be very important to stick to the game-plan and we don't listen to what is happening in the stands."
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Mexico - Raul Jimenez only featured in three of the team's eight outings this year, but he remains an important asset and scored his 45th international goal in the rout of Serbia on 4 June. The 35-year-old striker is his country's third-highest scorer, although he is still searching for his first goal at the World Cup.
South Africa - Oswin Appollis has taken his game to the next level since joining Orlando Pirates in July 2025 and he's also become an integral part of Broos' team. The 24-year-old winger has scored six goals for Bafana Bafana in his last 12 appearances and is a contender for PSL Player of the Season after helping the Buccaneers to the Betway Premiership title for the first time in 14 years.
HEAD-TO-HEAD:
Matches - 4
Mexico wins - 2
South Africa wins - 1
Draws - 1
--------------------------------
Where to watch the FIFA World Cup 2026™
Fans can watch every FIFA World Cup 2026™ match live on DStv Premium, Compact Plus, Compact, Family and Access. All matches are also available to stream on supported packages, ensuring flexible viewing options wherever you are.
How to stream the FIFA World Cup 2026™
With DStv Stream, you can follow every match anytime, anywhere. Download the app and enjoy seamless live streaming on the go.