Bafana Bafana have 2026 Fifa World Cup Group A opponents from across three different continents. Phakaaathi’s Jonty Mark takes a look at Mexico, Czechia and South Korea, who will take on Bafana in a group that looks wide open.
Mexico
Mexico have to be favourites to win Group A, with a talented side set to be cheered on by capacity crowds in their home country.
The opening match against South Africa on Thursday at the Azteca Stadium is likely to set the tone. If Mexico can get off to a flying start and beat Bafana it should propel them comfortably into the last 32.
The Concacaf giants have bags of experience at either end of the pitch. Up front, 35 year-old Fulham striker Raul Jimenez is set to lead the line. And in goal, Mexico have called up 40 year-old goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa.
In the middle of the park, Mexico are usually captained by West Ham midfielder Edson Alvarez, who spent last season on loan at Turkish giants Fenerbahce. Alvarez, however, is reportedly set to be left out of the starting line-up against Bafana.
Mexico are coached by Javier Aguirre, who took over for his third spell in charge in July 2024.
As hosts, Mexico did not have to qualify for the World Cup, so it remains to be seen if a lack of competitive action shows when they take on Bafana.
Mexico did win the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup, beating the USA 2-1 in the final, with Jimenez and Alvarez getting the goals.
Czechia
Czechia had to qualify for the World Cup the hard way. After finishing second in Group L, six points behind Croatia, the side formerly known as the Czech Republic went into the Uefa qualification play-offs.
There, they made it to the World Cup with two penalty shootout wins, over the Republic of Ireland and then Denmark.
Czechia’s main threat in attack continues to be Bayer Leverkusen striker Patrick Schick, who was the joint top goalscorer way back at Euro 2020.
West Ham’s 31 year-old Thomas Soucek is a midfielder with an eye for goal who has won Czech Footballer of the Year four times.
Exactly half of Czechia’s 26-man final World Cup squad play in their home country for Slavia Prague.
Czechia are coached by 74 year-old former goalkeeper Miroslav Koubek, who took over in December 2025 and got the team through the play-offs.
South Korea
Asian footballing powerhouse South Korea are playing in their 11th consecutive World Cup finals, and made it to the 2026 edition without losing any of their 16 qualifiers (11 wins and five draws).
Their best World Cup result, of course, came as hosts back in 2002, when Guus Hiddink’s side stunned the globe by making it all the way to the semifinals.
South Korea also reached the last 16 in South Africa in 2010 and four years ago in Qatar. So they come into this tournament with plenty of pedigree on the world stage.
Veteran striker Son-Heung-min will captain the side. The former Tottenham Hotspur star now plies his trade in the USA with Los Angeles FC.
South Korea are coached by Hong-Myung-bo, in his second spell as manager of the senior national team. Myung-bo was a brilliant defender and a star of South Korea’s 2002 World Cup run – he was named as the third best player in the entire tournament.
The current defensive talisman of the South Korea defence is Bayern Munich’s Kim Min-jae, while talented Wolves winger Hwang-Hee-chan is playing in his third consecutive World Cup finals.
