Bafana Bafana World Cup pots revealed

South Africa’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has not translated into a rankings boost.

Instead, Bafana Bafana have dropped two places to 61st in the latest FIFA standings, down from 59th, despite a convincing 3-1 friendly win over Zambia in Gqeberha last weekend.

The rankings update comes just weeks before the World Cup draw in Washington on December 5, where the 48 qualified nations will be split into 12 groups of four. South Africa will be seeded in Pot 3, alongside teams such as Norway (29), Egypt (34), and Algeria (35).

Which are the top seeded countries?

Pot 1 will feature hosts Canada, Mexico, and the United States, plus the world’s top nine sides: Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. Mexico will play the tournament opener at Estadio Azteca on June 11, while Canada and the US kick off their campaigns the following day.

Pot 2 includes strong contenders like Croatia (10), Morocco (11), and Japan (18), while Pot 4 will be made up of lower-ranked nations such as Ghana (72), Cape Verde (68), and the playoff winners. The playoff draw takes place later on Thursday in Zurich, Switzerland.

Despite the rankings slip, Bafana’s World Cup berth remains secure—and all eyes now turn to the draw that will determine their group-stage opponents.