After making their debut in 1998, the Bafana Bafana qualified again in 2002 and later appeared on the world stage as the first African country to host the World Cup in 2010. However, across all three tournaments in which South Africa participated, they have never advanced past the group stage. It's clear that South Africa qualifies occasionally, but progression beyond the early rounds has remained elusive.
South Africa did not qualify for any of the 15 World Cups before 1998 and has since failed to qualify in 2006, 2014, 2018, and 2022. That means the country has qualified only four times in nearly a century. Yet, the qualification for the 2026 tournament signals renewed potential and possibly the start of rebuilding toward stronger global performances.
