Which team Bafana Bafana fans should want to complete World Cup Group A?

Bafana Bafana finally learnt their World Cup fate following the draw conducted in Washington, DC on Friday.

South Africa landed in Group A alongside co-hosts Mexico, South Korea and one of the European teams that will come from a playoff involving Denmark, North Macedonia, Czech Republic and the Republic of Ireland.

Coach Hugo Broos has already admitted his fear of possibly facing Denmark as he considers them a tough team that would make matters difficult for South Africa in Group A.

So, ahead of the World Cup playoffs in March 2026, which team in the European playoff D do Bafana Bafana fans want Broos’ team to face?

There is no doubt that South African fans would want a lesser opposition to complete the group but there are not many from the European playoff D.

Denmark

This is the team Broos and Bafana fans fear the most and there is every reason to be fearful. While they dropped the most points on the FIFA rankings, the Danes are still the highest ranked team among their playoff opponents as they are 21^st in the world.

Denmark have been at the last two World Cups and in five of the last seven, advancing to the Round of 16 twice and to the quarter-final once. They head to the playoffs after finishing second in their qualification group with 11 points, two behind Scotland.

With players like Andreas Christensen (Barcelona), Jannik Vestergaard (Leicester City), Patrick Dorgu (Man United), Morten Hjulmand (Sporting Lisbon), Christian Norgaard (Arsenal), Christian Eriksen (Wolfsburg) and Rasmus Hojlund (Napoli), this is a team South Africa will hope to avoid at all cost.

Czech Republic

The second-best ranked team in this playoff group, Czech Republic, ranked 44^th in the world, is another team Bafana Bafana will hope to avoid as they also possess quality players as well as World Cup experience.

The Czechs finished second to Croatia in their qualification group, having won five of their eight games, and while they have been to the World Cup just once as an independent nation (2006), they still pose great danger.

Players like Matej Kovar (PSV), Robin Hranac and Vladimir Coufal (both of Hoffenheim), Tomas Soucek (West Ham), Adam Karabec (Lyon) and Patrik Schick (Bayer Leverkusen) bring lots of quality that can trouble South Africa.

Republic of Ireland

One of the most improved teams on the FIFA rankings, the Republic of Ireland are placed 59^th in the world, and missed out on a direct ticket by three points after finishing second to Portugal in their group with 10 points.

Their run included a 2-0 home win over Portugal plus an away 3-2 triumph against Hungary and they will hope to build onto that in the playoffs.

They are a team Bafana Bafana would fancy as they last featured at the World Cup in 2002 but have players such as Caoimhín Kelleher (Brentford) Jake O’Brien (Everton) Séamus Coleman (Everton), Troy Parrot (AZ Alkmaar) who should be a problem for South Africa.

North Macedonia

Perhaps the team Bafana Bafana fans would want their team to face the most is North Macedonia as they are ranked four places below South Africa in position 65.

North Macedonia finished third in their World Cup qualification group with 13 points, five behind leaders Belgium and three adrift of second-placed Wales.

They also lack experience at this level as they have never qualified for the World Cup while besides Napoli’s Eljif Elmas, they do not possess a superstar that South Africa should be scared of.

However, while Bafana Bafana fans would wish to get North Macedonia, their chances of making it to the World Cup via the playoffs are very slim.