South Africa are set to face Mexico in the opening fixture of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Thursday, with the hosts enjoying the advantage of playing in front of their home crowd.
Bafana Bafana head into the tournament with inconsistent form but are known for their resilience. Their recent friendly matches have not been entirely convincing, as they recorded back-to-back draws against Nicaragua and Jamaica. Before those results, they suffered a close 2-1 defeat to Panama in another friendly encounter. Despite these mixed performances, Hugo Broos’s side showed real determination during the CAF qualifiers, where they topped a challenging group ahead of Nigeria. They will aim to rediscover that strong qualifying form as they take on the hosts.
South Africa team news
There is positive news for South Africa ahead of the opener, with first-choice left-back Aubrey Modiba recovering from a hamstring injury that had raised concerns.
Head coach Hugo Broos has confirmed that Modiba is now fully fit, has resumed full training, and is available for selection.
However, the squad is still dealing with some setbacks in attack due to injuries.
Wingers Thapelo Morena and Mohau Nkota have both been excluded from the final World Cup squad after failing to recover in time.
South Africa will depend heavily on their experienced players in what will be a challenging match away from home. Captain Ronwen Williams is expected to start in goal and provide leadership from the back.
Meanwhile, Burnley forward Lyle Foster will carry the main attacking responsibility as he leads the line against Mexico.
South Africa predicted lineup
Possible South Africa starting XI:Â Williams; Mudau, Mbokazi, Okon, Modiba; Mbatha, Sithole, Mokoena; Appollis, Foster, Moremi
When will the match kick off?
The match will kick off at 8pm BST on Thursday, 11th June.
How to watch Mexico vs South Africa?
Viewers in the UK will be able to watch the Mexico vs South Africa opening match live on ITV1, with the broadcast available free of charge.
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