Author: Lehlohonolo Scheepers

Sit down. Take a deep breath. Pour yourself something. Because on June 25 at 03:00 SAST, South Africa play South Korea in Guadalupe, Mexico. And if Bafana Bafana win that match, something happens that has never happened before in the history of South African football. They go through. They make the World Cup knockout rounds. They become the first South African team to survive the group stage at a FIFA World Cup. That sentence has been sitting in the future for twenty-eight years, since South Africa first qualified for the 1998 tournament in France. Every time we have been at…

There is a particular kind of silence that falls over a stadium when something is happening that will be talked about for decades. The sharp intake of breath. The moment just before the noise arrives. Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium had that silence three times on Tuesday night, and each time it was broken by the same man. Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick against Algeria. In a World Cup. At 38 years old. In his final tournament. And in doing so, he drew level with Miroslav Klose’s all-time record of 16 FIFA World Cup goals, a number that had stood since…

South Africa vs Barbarians | Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Gqeberha | 20 June 2026 | Kick-off: 15:00 SAST There is a particular feeling that only comes around a few times a year. You know the one. When the Springboks run out onto the field in the green and gold for the first time in a new season and something in your chest just lifts. Today is that day. Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha. 15:00. Siya Kolisi leading them out. The first Springbok match of 2026. After the Bulls’ URC Final last night and a Bafana Bafana World Cup campaign…

Czechia 1-1 South Africa | FIFA World Cup 2026, Group A | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta | 18 June 2026 I need you to understand something before we start. We lost to Mexico 2-0 a week ago. We came into tonight’s match against Czechia, a match the entire country had circled as our best chance of getting something, with zero points, zero goals, and if we’re being honest, a quiet but growing knot of fear in the stomach that maybe, just maybe, this was going to be another one of those South African football stories. The ones that start with so…

Sunday’s slate of FIFA World Cup 2026 fixtures served up a dramatic mix of thrashings, tight encounters, and one result that will have the entire African continent buzzing – Morocco’s gutsy draw against football royalty Brazil in New York. Morocco Hold Brazil in New York Thriller The headline act of the day belonged to Morocco, who refused to be overawed by the occasion at the New York New Jersey Stadium. Facing a Brazilian side carrying the weight of expectation and decades of World Cup pedigree, the Atlas Lions matched their opponents stride for stride to earn a hard-fought 1-1 draw.…

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is firmly underway, and the opening weekend delivered drama, goals, and a clear statement of intent from one of the tournament’s co-hosts. For South African fans watching keenly from afar, these early results offer a fascinating window into how the competition’s Group Stage is beginning to take shape. United States Announce Themselves in Style In front of a raucous home crowd at Los Angeles Stadium, the United States produced a dominant, high-tempo performance to dismantle Paraguay 4-1 on Saturday. The Americans were sharp from the first whistle, pressing aggressively and exploiting space in behind the…

One of club rugby’s most compelling rivalries gets another chapter this Friday when the Bulls make the trip to Croke Park to face Leinster in what promises to be a mouthwatering United Rugby Championship clash. Kickoff is set for 20:30 local time in Dublin, and with a venue as iconic as Croke Park providing the backdrop, the stage is set for something special. Leinster vs Bulls – URC | Friday 19 June, 20:30 | Croke Park, Dublin Leinster have been the benchmark of European club rugby for the better part of a decade, and playing at Croke Park adds an…

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is fully underway across North America, and this week’s fixture list is nothing short of electric. For South African football fans, the headline act arrives on Thursday evening when Bafana Bafana face Czechia in Atlanta – a moment that will have the nation glued to screens at 18:00 local time (midnight South African Standard Time into Friday morning). But before we get there, a packed schedule of continental pride, heavyweight collisions and intriguing underdogs offers plenty to savour. African Teams in the Spotlight Africa arrives at this World Cup with genuine ambition, and the fixtures…

The South African Premier Soccer League transfer window is always a fascinating beast. Part soap opera, part chess match, it shapes the entire season before a ball is even kicked – and for supporters of the big clubs, the rumour mill alone is enough to keep the WhatsApp groups buzzing well into the early hours. Mamelodi Sundowns: The Benchmark Stays High Expect Masandawana to do what they always do: recruit quietly, efficiently, and often from within the continent. Sundowns have built a model around signing players at peak value from other African leagues, integrating them into Rhulani Mokwena’s – and…

Hwang In-beom Inspires Korean Comeback South Korea made a winning start to their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with an impressive 2-1 comeback victory over the Czech Republic in Guadalajara, Mexico, on Thursday night. After falling behind early in the second half, the Asian giants showed resilience and quality to turn the match around through goals from Hwang In-beom and substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu. The victory sees South Korea join Mexico at the top of Group A after the opening round of matches. The match was played in front of nearly 45,000 spectators and delivered plenty of drama as both teams…