Bafana Bafana are set to return to the World Cup stage in a symbolic opening match against Mexico.
The global tournament kicks off on Thursday night, with co-hosts Mexico facing South Africa at the Estadio Azteca.
The fixture carries major emotional weight for South African football fans.
It is a repeat of the memorable 2010 World Cup opener in Johannesburg, when South Africa hosted the tournament and introduced the world to the full sound and colour of local football culture.
For Bafana, the match is also a chance to make a strong start in a tournament where every point will matter.
A win in the opening game would boost South Africa’s hopes of reaching the knockout stages for the first time.
The team previously appeared at the 1998, 2002 and 2010 tournaments.
New York plans 2010-style watch parties
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has announced official watch parties in Central Park as part of efforts to recreate the spirit of the 2010 World Cup.
Mamdani, who was born in Kampala, Uganda, said his own memories of the 2010 tournament in South Africa shaped the idea.
“I will always remember being 18-years old and watching the 2010 World Cup with friends in Durban, South Africa,” Mamdani said.
He recalled the “sound of endless vuvuzelas”, beach soccer and the smell of meat cooking on the braai.
“With this watch party, we’ll create the same memories for the next generation of New Yorkers,” he said.
African support from afar
Mamdani recently helped inaugurate a location near Central Park as the official watch party venue for local residents.
The event included dignitaries such as FIFA President Gianni Infantino and African football legend George Weah.
Organisers are hoping Bafana Bafana and the other African teams at the tournament will feel that support from thousands of kilometres away.
For South Africans, the opening match is more than just a fixture.
It is a return to a stage that still carries the emotion of 2010, when the country hosted the continent’s first Fifa World Cup and turned football into a national celebration.
Now, Bafana have another chance to write a new chapter.