Bafana’s winless run continues as they fail to beat Jamaica in final World Cup warmup

Bafana Bafana concluded their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 1-1 draw against Jamaica in a friendly match played behind closed doors on Saturday night.

The game, held at the Hildago Stadium, was not open to the media, leading to initial confusion over the final score. Some early reports incorrectly suggested a 1-0 victory for South Africa.

However, it was later confirmed that Jamaica, fielding a side largely without their key players, secured alate equaliser. Oswin Appollis had initially put Bafana Bafana ahead in the first half, but the youthful Jamaican team fought back to level the score through Dwayne Atkinson before the final whistle.

Bafana stretch winless run

According to reports from ESTO, a member of the Jamaican technical staff confirmed the 1-1 result, though the South African Football Association (SAFA) has not yet released an official statement on the match.

This result extends Bafana Bafana’s winless streak to five games. Their recent run includes an AFCON exit at the hands of Cameroon, a draw and a loss against Panama, a goalless draw with Nicaragua, and now the stalemate with Jamaica.

Hugo Broos’s squad will now turn their attention to the World Cup opener in four days. They are set to face co-hosts Mexico on June 11 in what promises to be a challenging start to their campaign, especially after Mexico’s commanding 5-1 victory over Serbia in their own final warm-up fixture.