Reminder: Bafana Bafana’s World Cup kick off times
Bafana Bafana play in the opening match of the FIFA World Cup against Mexico, and here are all the group stage kick off times to note.
Black News 
Hugo Broos has guided South Africa back to the FIFA World Cup after a memorable qualification campaign, but they have been drawn into a highly competitive Group A alongside tournament co-hosts Mexico, European hard-hitters Czech Republic and Asian powerhouses South Korea.
Mexico will host Bafana Bafana in the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday, 11 June at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City and this game will mark the start of the highly-anticipated global showpiece.
With the tournament expanded to 48 teams, the top two teams from each group – along with the eight best third-placed teams across the entire tournament – will advance to the Round of 32.
Bafana Bafana World Cup Group A Fixtures and kick off times (SA time)
- Thursday, 11 June: Mexico vs South Africa, Estadio Azteca, Mexico City – 21:00
- Thursday, 18 June: Czech Republic vs South Africa, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta – 18:00
- Thursday, 25 June: South Africa vs South Korea, Estadio BBVA, Guadalupe – 03:00
Playing a co-host in the tournament’s opening match is a massive double-edged sword. Azteca will be a cauldron of noise, and the altitude of Mexico City (around 2,200 meters) always poses a physical challenge. A draw here would feel like a massive victory and could set a strong foundation for Bafana Bafana to build on.
The match in Atlanta shapes up to be the most critical game of Group A. The Czechs are notoriously physical, aggressive, and incredibly dangerous on set-pieces, but they have traditionally struggled with technical pace. If Bafana want to make it to the knockout rounds, this is the game they likely need to target for three points.
Depending on how the first two matches go, the awkward encounter against South Korea could be a high-stakes shootout for survival. If South Africa can keep things tight and arrive at this match with two or three points already in the bag, a disciplined performance could secure them a path forward as at least one of the best third-placed finishers.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Groups
Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Czech Republic
Group B: Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland
Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
Group D: United States, Paraguay, Australia, Turkey
Group E: Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador
Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia
Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
Group H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
Group I: France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway
Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
Group K: Portugal, DR Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia
Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama
