The stage is set for Bafana Bafana’s final World Cup rehearsal. SAFA has confirmed that Orlando Amstel Stadium will host South Africa’s 2026 FIFA World Cup send-off match against Nicaragua at the end of the month.
South Africa are set to take on Nicaragua on Friday – May 29 in what will be their last preparatory game in SA before they jet off to Mexico for the global football fiesta. Placed in Group A, Bafana are in the same pool as co-hosts Mexico, the Czech Republic and South Korea.
They open their campaign against Mexico on June 11, a rematch of the 2010 World Cup, when the two sides clashed on a similar date at FNB Stadium, with South Africa as the tournament hosts. Hugo Broos and his men will be bidding to qualify for the World Cup knockouts for the first time in their history.
The Belgian is expected to name his squad for the World Cup in the next few days as anticipation for his selection builds up. They go into the Nicaragua match having already played back-to-back international friendlies against another Central American opponent, Panama, in March.
BAFANA BAFANA TO HOST NICARAGUA AT ORLANDO
Safa have announced that the match will be staged at the Orlando Amstel Arena, the home of Orlando Pirates.
“Johannesburg’s Orlando Stadium will host Bafana Bafana’s 2026 FIFA World Cup send-off match against Nicaragua at the end of the month. The match will be played on Friday, 29 May 2026, and the kickoff is at 18h00,” SAFA confirmed.
“The South African senior men’s national team will host the Central Americans in an international friendly match that will be the last in the country before coach Hugo Broos’ charges fly to Mexico ahead of the FIFA World Cup.”
“We encourage families and fans to come in their numbers to support the team. The players will appreciate the support before heading to the FIFA World Cup to be hosted by the United States of America, Canada and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July 2026,” SAFA president Danny Jordaan said.
After the Nicaragua match, Bafana will then set base camp in Pachuca, Mexico, while counting down to the June 11 showdown.
A LOOK INTO BAFANA BAFANA’S OPPONENTS NICARAGUA
A member of CONCACAF, like Mexico and Nicaragua, are currently ranked 131 on the FIFA World rankings. That is a distance from Bafana, who are 60th.
Their highest ranking was number 92, attained in December 2015. With five appearances at the CONCACAF Gold Cup, their best campaign at this tournament was a sixth-place finish in 1967.
Bafana will be taking on a team that has never qualified for the World Cup before. In their last 10 games in different competitions, Nicaragua have managed two wins, as many draws and six defeats.
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