Former Bafana Bafana midfielder Reneilwe Letsholonyane has voiced his opinion on the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group A following Friday’s draw in Washington, USA.
South Africa are in Group A alongside co-hosts Mexico, South Korea and the UEFA play-off D winner. Denmark, North Macedonia, the Czech Republic and the Republic of Ireland will fight it out for a slot in Bafana’s pool.
Drawing much interest from South African football fans is the tournament opener between Bafana and Mexico. It is a rematch of the 2010 meeting between the two sides when they kicked off the World Cup in Johannesburg, with the match ending 1-1.
Letsoholonyane was in the starting lineup and lasted the entire match when Bafana and El Tri squared off at FNB Stadium on June 6, 2010. Now, they shift the battleground to the iconic Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on June 11, 2026.
LETSHOLONYANE REACTS TO BAFANA’S WORLD CUP GROUP
“It’s a repeat of what happened 15 years ago. The only difference is that the tables have turned in terms of the venue. It’s going to be a very good game, and I would like to think there will also be a good atmosphere against one of the tournament hosts,” Letsholonyane told FARPost.
“The World Cup is a big stage, so we expect a very hostile environment against Mexico. But hostile in a good way because we are away from home. It will still be a competitive match.
“We drew the first time, now they want to win at home. Obviously, it is going to be a very difficult game.
“This will be a grand experience for our players. In 2010, there were nerves because it was the first game and we were hosts. Most of our players were first-timers at the World Cup. It was a very good stage with us wanting to do well, knowing South Africans are cheering us, and FNB was fully packed.”
‘PRESSURE IS MORE ON MEXICO AND NOT BAFANA’
Letsholonyane feels the difference between the 2010 showdown and the upcoming 2026 confrontation is that Mexico are the hosts and more pressured to win than South Africa.
“Mexico have the pressure more because they are one of the hosts. They will always be under pressure. Many will view us as underdogs in this match, and that’s how it is worse for Mexico,” the former Kaizer Chiefs star went on.
“We will try to cause an upset. We aren’t given the chance by the world that we can upset Mexico. There are no expectations for us to win games. Our players automatically need to psych up without the coach’s [Hugo Broos] input because this is the biggest stake. Motivation should be there naturally.
“We are in a very strong group, but in the past three, four years we have been on a high, upsetting teams. We can cause an upset and qualify for the next round.”
RELATED STORY: Broos doubts Bafana’s prospects in World Cup group