As South Africa prepares to face tournament co-hosts Mexico in the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, South African Football Association (SAFA) President Dr. Danny Jordaan has urged Bafana Bafana to embrace the occasion and believe they can compete with any team in the world.
Speaking just hours before kickoff at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on Thursday, Jordaan called on the players to show commitment, passion and focus despite the intimidating atmosphere expected inside the packed stadium.
The Group A encounter marks South Africa’s return to the FIFA World Cup stage and presents a historic challenge against a Mexican side backed by tens of thousands of home supporters. More than 88,000 fans are expected to fill the stadium for the tournament curtain-raiser.
Jordaan, however, believes Hugo Broos’ men possess the experience and mentality needed to overcome the hostile conditions and produce a positive result. “I spoke to the players and they’ve seen it before, and they’ve done it before. Today, we want to see commitment, passion and dedication. They must just focus,” Jordaan said. They will have 88,000 people in the stadium while we will have maybe 80 fans. But our fans are sufficient to match the noise that will come from the Mexicans.”
Focus on the Task Ahead
The SAFA president described the atmosphere at the Azteca as one of the most intense in world football but insisted South Africa’s players should not be intimidated by the occasion.
“I’ve seen the Aztec Stadium when Mexico plays. You cannot talk to the person next to you. The noise is incredible. The excitement, the joy, the celebration of football is exceptional. We must be ready because our players will be in an environment they’ve never seen before. But we believe that they have sufficient experience to go through hostile environments and go into stadiums where they have no support, and yet triumph.”
Danny Jordaan, SAFA President
Jordaan also reminded the players of their quality and encouraged them to approach the match with confidence. “I ask them just to be focused, do your best and remember that you are equal to anybody in the world. We can deliver a result today.”
Echoes of 2010 as History Repeats Itself
The fixture carries special significance as it mirrors the opening match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, when South Africa and Mexico played out a memorable 1-1 draw at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on June 11. On the day, Siphwiwe Tsabalala scored the opening goal of the tournament before Rafael Marquez notched the equalizer for El Tricolor.
Remarkably, the teams meet again on the same date exactly 16 years later, with the roles reversed as Mexico hosts the opening game and South Africa arrives as the visiting side. “This game is a repetition of 2010, when Bafana Bafana played against Mexico in the opening match of the World Cup at home,” Jordaan noted.
The SAFA boss highlighted the warm reception South Africa has received since arriving in Mexico, pointing to a recent interaction between the national team and a young local supporter as a symbol of growing goodwill between the two nations. “I think that after our team embraced a young boy from Mexico in Pachuca, and the whole team signed his jersey, this single event generated a lot of goodwill amongst the Mexican people for Bafana Bafana.”
Jordaan also expressed confidence in the team’s preparations under head coach Hugo Broos, despite mixed results in warm-up matches before the tournament. “I hope that we will see the kind of Bafana Bafana we saw during the run for qualification to the World Cup,” he said. “I think we are the only country that qualified in spite of the fact that three points were deducted, and Bafana Bafana qualified top of the group.”
As South Africa prepares to step onto football’s biggest stage once again, Jordaan believes the determination, grit and focus shown during qualification can inspire another memorable performance against Mexico, just as it did 16 years ago.
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