South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has challenged Bafana Bafana to go all the way and win the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Speaking during the team’s official send-off dinner, Ramaphosa urged the players to embrace the moment and carry the hopes of millions of South Africans onto the global stage.
“We gather here to declare boldly and with great pride: Bafana Bafana has done it. Bafana Bafana is back, stronger, focused, fearless, and hungrier,” Ramaphosa said.
Ramaphosa said the country had waited a long time for the national team’s return to football’s biggest stage and insisted the target should be nothing less than lifting the trophy.
“Now we want to see you lift that trophy,” he said. “[We don’t want] group stage. Asifuni knockout rounds. Asifuni ukuzwa the words ‘elimination’ or ‘bowing out’. You are bringing the FIFA World Cup trophy home.”
Ramaphosa also joked that he expects mounting pressure to declare public holidays whenever Bafana Bafana advance to the next round.
“I fully expect to be inundated with calls to declare a public holiday every time you progress to the next round,” he said. “I will be there when you lift the trophy on the 19th of July…. And yes, I will declare it a public holiday.”
Bafana Bafana have been drawn in Group A, where they will begin their campaign against Mexico before facing South Korea and the Czech Republic.
South Africa head coach Hugo Broos has already named his final squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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