EXCLUSIVE | Rankings mean little in tough Group A: Ronwen says Bafana can go through

Bafana Bafana might be the lowest-ranked and least experienced team in the 2026 World Cup’s Group A, but it’s a tight mix of sides with no outright favourite and that means everyone starts on an equal footing, Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams insists.

The South Africans return to the World Cup for the first time since hosting it in 2010, 16 years ago; and first time as qualifiers since 2002, 24 years ago, when they play the ‘2010 opening game rematch’ against co-hosts Mexico at Estadio Azteca on Thursday (9pm SA time).

Williams was a Ballon D’Or Yashin Trophy nominee in 2024 for his exploits that included a stunning four penalties saved in Bafana’s Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) quarterfinal shoot-out win against Cape Verde in 2024, on the way to the bronze medal, and is now Caf Champions League winner with Mamelodi Sundowns. Leading the team out at that hallowed ground of the Azteca for the World Cup’s opening game will eclipse all of those, he said.

“This is probably the cherry on the top of a wonderful career I’ve had. I don’t think there’s anything that will top this,” the goalkeeper told Sunday Times in an interview conducted via Sundowns’ media department while in camp for their 2-1 aggregate 2025-26 Champions League final win against FAR Rabat last month.

“This is the biggest footballing stage and for me to be captaining the side, walking out, it’s what dreams are made of. Now I’m speaking and thinking about it, it’s giving me shivers.

“Honestly speaking, I couldn’t dream about this because for a very long time we weren’t part of these major tournaments, but now it’s a reality. I don’t think it’s really sunk in yet because of the club activities and schedule we’ve had, but I think once we set foot on Mexico that’s when it will really hit me. But I think this will be the biggest achievement, not just for me but for the team too and for each player.”

South Africa are up against it in North America. If a spotlight like Bafana have never experienced ― amid an audiovisual wall of green and noise in the widely-watched opening game against the co-hosts ― were not enough, they meet tidy outfits in Czech Republic and South Korea after that. Coach Hugo Broos’s World Cup babes in the wood travel to Atlanta, Georgia for the second game on June 18 (6pm SA time), then back to Mexico for the third fixture in Guadalupe on June 24 (3am on June 25 SA time).

Mexico are ranked 15^th in the world and this is their 17^th World Cup (out of 22), where they are regular last 16 competitors but battle to go further. Czechia are ranked 41^st and, while they are ending a 20-year absence from the World Cup from the toughest European qualifying region, are almost permanent European Championship finals competitors, reaching two of the last four quarterfinals. South Korea are ranked 25^th and are now experienced World Cup campaigners, having been to 12 tournaments, six of them since finishing fourth as hosts in 2002, with two last 16 progressions since.

Bafana, ranked 60^th, have exited in the group stage in their three World Cups. They will hope some emerging talent, a spirit of revival under Broos and hunger to perform on the stage can see them punch above their weight.

“Obviously it does not play much of a part because everyone is playing in their own region,” Williams said of the rankings. “So rankings don’t mean anything. It’s what you can do for that 90 minutes, your focus and how you’ve prepared.

“And this is a huge opportunity for us to showcase our talent on a global stage, to show we deserve to be at the highest level. It’s not going to be easy. Like I’ve said, we haven’t been at the highest level at the World Cup for a very long time.

“Mexico have been part of the World Cup and a constant feature. South Korea, I remember them hosting the World Cup in 2002 ― that’s one of the first I can remember watching.

“Czech Republic being in our group too, it’s a wonderful group, different cultures, a good mix and I don’t think there’s a clear favourite. Everyone has a chance.

“And us having not been part of the World Cup for a very long time, hopefully we can adjust as early as possible so we can just reach our level.

“We’re looking forward to it, we’re excited and we just can’t wait to get the ball rolling.”

Bafana have to settle their nerves against a strong Mexico in the opener that the co-host country will buzz for at every corner, and will be watched in lounges, TV rooms, fan parks, pubs, taverns and shebeens around the world.

“That’s two of the biggest and most-watched games, the opening game and the final. And South Africa being part of that, of the opening game, is a special moment, it will be watched worldwide. We’ve worked so hard to be part of the biggest tournament. Being part of the World Cup, I can’t put it into words.

“I can’t say I’ve experienced something like that before. I think it’s going to be something different for all of us. It’s something we’re looking forward to; we’ve worked hard and set targets and wanted to be a part of this.

“But now it’s time to go out there ― it’s almost time ― to walk out and play. And hopefully we can have the support from our beloved country, all the special people. Hopefully we can go with that spirit, that South African culture, just to push us through because it’s going to be difficult. We’re playing the host nation and it’s never easy. But we’ll go with the millions and millions of South Africans, their backing and support and I know that will push us through.”

Bafana’s Sundowns contingent competed in the Fifa Club World Cup in the US last year. They won admirers for their football, beating Korea’s Ulsan HD 1-0, losing a 4-3 thriller against Borussia Dortmund and drawing against Brazil’s Fluminense, missing the next round by a point.

It’s a positive we had Sundowns at the Club World Cup representing the team and our country

—  Ronwen Williams

They got a good idea of the mid-summer heat in humid Florida, especially with often-midday kick-off times to cater for European primetime audiences. Bafana’s opener against Mexico is at 1pm. Midday temperatures have hovered around 30°C in Mexico City this week. They got a taste of playing football in the bizarre atmosphere of Donald Trump’s America.

“It’s a positive we had Sundowns at the Club World Cup representing the team and our country,” Williams said. “And I think we did fairly well, we showed we could compete. And hopefully that can inspire Bafana Bafana too ― to know we can compete against the best.

“We had the experiences, we saw the conditions, we played at that highest level and learnt many things. So hopefully with us [the Sundowns players] being there [in the Bafana squad], we can help.

“But everybody must experience it for themselves. That’s the beauty of this. Obviously we will share our knowledge.

“And for me, and for us as a team, we’ve got an experienced coach in coach Hugo, who was there as a player [when Belgium reached the 1986 World Cup semifinals] and he’s been around the block. So he will make sure the preparations are spot on and we know that every detail will be covered.”