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South Africa

Africa · CAF

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#73ELO· 2026-07-19#54FIFA· 2026-07-19
1Continental titles· last 19962Continental finals reached

Greatest games

South Africa's top tournament matches by the site's Game Score (ELO).Methodology.

W 1-0 v South Korea
#1
Date
2026-06-24
Stage
World Cup · Group Stage
Game Score
1.896
W 2-1 v France
#2
Date
2010-06-22
Stage
World Cup · Group Stage
Game Score
1.452
L 2-3 v Spain
#3
Date
2002-06-12
Stage
World Cup · Group Stage
Game Score
1.438
D 1-1 v Mexico
#4
Date
2010-06-11
Stage
World Cup · Group Stage
Game Score
1.242
D 1-1 v Denmark
#5
Date
1998-06-18
Stage
World Cup · Group Stage
Game Score
1.214
L 0-1 v Canada
#6
Date
2026-06-28
Stage
World Cup · Round of 32
Game Score
1.190
D 2-2 v Paraguay
#7
Date
2002-06-02
Stage
World Cup · Group Stage
Game Score
1.095
D 2-2 v Saudi Arabia
#8
Date
1998-06-24
Stage
World Cup · Group Stage
Game Score
1.074
L 0-3 v France
#9
Date
1998-06-12
Stage
World Cup · Group Stage
Game Score
0.915
W 1-0 v Slovenia
#10
Date
2002-06-08
Stage
World Cup · Group Stage
Game Score
0.895

Footprint

Tournament appearances
19
Trophies
1
Major trophies
1
Last appearance
2026
World Cup appearances
4
Continental appearances
13
Last final reached
1998
Last trophy
1996

Comparable programs

Methodology

Five national programs whose honors profile and historical footprint sit closest to South Africa. Scored across World Cup pedigree, continental dominance (tier-adjusted), intercontinental wins, tournament span, and decade coverage. The labels describe the shared trait that drove the match.

Kuwait
Repeat continental finalists
Honors 2.00 · distance 0.31
Zambia
Repeat continental finalists
Honors 3.00 · distance 0.56
Libya
Repeat continental finalists
Honors 0.75 · distance 0.64
Jordan
Repeat continental finalists
Honors 0.50 · distance 0.66
Papua New Guinea
Repeat continental finalists
Honors 0.30 · distance 0.66

Tournament history

Most recent first. Every senior international tournament appearance on file: World Cups, continental cups, intercontinental tournaments, and selected others. The Name column shows what the team was called at the time of that appearance (Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, etc. on rows played under a predecessor identity).

2026WC
Appearance
FIFA World Cup 2026
South Africa
2025AFCON
Round of 16
Africa Cup of Nations 2025
South Africa
2024AFCON
Semifinal
Africa Cup of Nations 2024
South Africa
2019AFCON
Quarterfinal
Africa Cup of Nations 2019
South Africa
2015AFCON
Appearance
Africa Cup of Nations 2015
South Africa
2013AFCON
Quarterfinal
Africa Cup of Nations 2013
South Africa
2010WC
Appearance
FIFA World Cup 2010
South Africa
2009Inter
Semifinal
FIFA Confederations Cup 2009
South Africa
2008AFCON
Appearance
Africa Cup of Nations 2008
South Africa
2006AFCON
Appearance
Africa Cup of Nations 2006
South Africa
2005Gold
Quarterfinal
CONCACAF Championship / Gold Cup 2005
South Africa
2004AFCON
Appearance
Africa Cup of Nations 2004
South Africa
2002WC
Appearance
FIFA World Cup 2002
South Africa
2002AFCON
Quarterfinal
Africa Cup of Nations 2002
South Africa
2000AFCON
Semifinal
Africa Cup of Nations 2000
South Africa
1998WC
Appearance
FIFA World Cup 1998
South Africa
1998AFCON
Final
Africa Cup of Nations 1998
South Africa
1997Inter
Appearance
FIFA Confederations Cup 1997
South Africa
1996AFCON
Champion
Africa Cup of Nations 1996
South Africa

Tournament finals

Every senior-tournament final this team has played. Wins highlighted in gold; losses muted. Penalty shootouts shown as "PKs" alongside the regulation score.

1998 Lost
Africa Cup of Nations
Egypt
Score
0-2
Venue
Stade du 4-Août, Burkina Faso
1996 Won
Africa Cup of Nations
Tunisia
Score
2-0
Venue
Soccer City Stadium, South Africa