SABC 3 will broadcast Bafana Bafana’s FIFA World Cup opening match against Mexico on Thursday night at 21:00.
The coverage will begin well before kick-off, with the broadcaster also set to televise the opening ceremony from 18:30.
FIFA WORLD CUP OPENER: MEXICO VS BAFANA BAFANA
SABC will broadcast Mexico’s FIFA World Cup opener against South Africa after the fixture appeared on Openview’s television guide. The confirmation ends uncertainty over whether South African fans would be able to watch the match on free-to-air television.
Additionally, DStv’s SuperSport channel 202 will also televise the game.
2010 WORLD CUP OPENER REMATCH
Thursday’s FIFA World Cup opening match between Mexico and Bafana Bafana will bring back memories.
Exactly 16 years after the two nations met in the opening game of the 2010 World Cup at Soccer City. The two teams will once again kick off football’s biggest tournament. This time, however, the roles have been reversed.
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Back in 2010, Mexico travelled to Johannesburg and faced the hosts in front of a packed and passionate South African crowd. On Thursday, it is Bafana Bafana who must enter hostile territory. South Africa will face El Tri at the famous Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
The previous meeting remains etched into football folklore. Siphiwe Tshabalala’s stunning strike gave South Africa the lead before Rafael Márquez rescued a 1-1 draw for Mexico. The match also marked the start of the first FIFA World Cup held on African soil.
Adding another fascinating twist to the story, Javier Aguirre will once again be in charge of Mexico. The experienced coach was also on the touchline when the two sides met in Johannesburg 16 years ago.
While the fixture carries a strong sense of nostalgia, the tournament itself looks very different from previous editions.
NEW FORMAT
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature 48 teams for the first time, expanding from the traditional 32-team format. The competition will also include a record 104 matches. It will be hosted across three countries — Mexico, the United States and Canada.
Another major change is the introduction of a Round of 32. This means teams must negotiate an additional knockout match to reach the latter stages of the tournament.
The World Cup has also returned to its traditional June-July slot after the 2022 tournament in Qatar was moved to November and December due to weather conditions.