Harambee Stars Coach Makes Bold Prediction About Bafana Bafana's World Cup Chances

Harambee Stars assistant coach Vasili Manousakis has outlined why he believes South Africa’s Bafana Bafana have the potential to make a significant impact at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Bafana Bafana begin their campaign against Mexico at the iconic Estadio Azteca on Thursday, June 11, seeking a stronger result than in their previous World Cup meeting with El Tri in 2010.

That memorable opening match in Johannesburg saw Siphiwe Tshabalala ignite celebrations with a stunning strike before Rafael Márquez salvaged a 1-1 draw for Mexico with a late equaliser.

As South Africa prepares for its return to football’s biggest stage, Vasili Manousakis has backed Hugo Broos’ side to exceed expectations and explained why he believes they could emerge as one of the tournament’s surprise packages.

Vasili Manousakis noted that there is a strong emotional connection to Bafana Bafana given his roots in the country.

He acknowledged that the challenge ahead will be demanding, particularly considering the calibre of opponents they will face, but emphasised that the squad possesses considerable talent and has benefited from a solid foundation built over recent years.

The Harambee Stars assistant coach pointed to the progress South Africa has made in major continental competitions, highlighting several impressive performances that demonstrated the team's growth and competitiveness.

He specifically recalled their display against Cameroon at the Africa Cup of Nations, describing it as one of the standout performances he had witnessed despite the final outcome.

Manousakis also praised the consistency Bafana Bafana have shown throughout both their AFCON and World Cup qualifying campaigns, noting that they have repeatedly demonstrated their ability to compete at a high level.

“From the core of us, from the technical team, we wish them all the best. That is our home country. They've got a tough group. I don't think it's going to be easy, but there's so much quality there. There's good structure,” Vasili Manousakis said.

“And we've seen what they are able to do in the last two AFCONs. There have been some fantastic games. I think one of the games for me is the game against Cameroon in the last AFCON. Despite the result, I think Bafana were excellent.

“And they've shown us throughout the qualifiers, both AFCON and World Cup qualifiers, what they can do, and yeah, we're certainly behind them all the way, and hopefully they can make all 60 million of us proud and back them all the way.”

Bafana Bafana has been drawn into Group A for the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside co-hosts Mexico, South Korea, and the Czech Republic.