With Bafana Bafana well on their way to qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, here’s a look at how Bafana came close to creating history on numerous occasions.

As it stands, South Africa lead the way in Group C, ahead of dangerous opposition such as Rwanda, Benin and Nigeria, who are likewise hoping to qualify for next year’s World Cup showpiece.

After six matches played, South Africa will take on Lesotho in their next qualifying assignment, with the game set to take place on September 1.

With the tournament in mind, did you know that Bafana lost only three matches in FIFA World Cup matches since 1998?

South Africa featured at three FIFA World Cup tournaments, namely in 1998, 2002 and 2010.

In 1998, South Africa suffered only one defeat in Group C, which came in the form of a 3-0 result against hosts France at Stade Velodrome.

Four years later, SA jetted off to Korea and Japan where they faced Spain, Slovenia and Paraguay in Group B. Bafana opened their campaign with a 3-2 loss against Spain before recording a 1-0 win against Slovenia, while they also jotted down a 2-2 draw with Paraguay thereafter.

In 2010, South Africa narrowly missed out on progressing to the knockout phases of the competition, especially after suffering a damaging 3-0 defeat against Uruguay in their second Group A fixture.