Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos says his side is ready to take the fight to host nation Mexico when the two teams meet in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group A opener at the iconic Estadio Azteca on Thursday.
Kick-off is scheduled for 13:00 local time (9pm South African time), with Broos acknowledging the challenge posed by a confident Mexican side coming into the tournament on the back of an impressive run of results.
Speaking at the match-day-minus-one press conference, Broos admitted that Mexico’s recent form and squad strength make them favourites on paper but insisted his team is fully prepared for the challenge.
“After their recent friendly results they are a confident team heading into the game, and then there is also the reality that Mexico is the best team in the group. So we expect a very tough game and we need to be at our best level. I can assure you that my team is ready to fight for every metre and every ball,” Broos said.
Mexico’s squad features several high-profile players, including AC Milan forward Santiago Giménez, Fulham striker Raúl Jiménez and Atlético Madrid midfielder Obed Vargas, adding further weight to their attacking threat.
However, Broos said Bafana Bafana are not intimidated by the names in the Mexican squad, stressing that his technical team has carried out detailed analysis of their opponents.
“We are very well prepared. We have analysts who watched many of Mexico’s games and analysed the players who don’t play in Mexico. You never know with their coach, maybe he has a little secret we don’t know about, but we are very well prepared and we know what we will be facing,” he added.
Following the press conference, the South African squad and technical staff toured the Estadio Azteca, which has a capacity of over 87,000 spectators, as part of their final preparations.
Broos, who previously played at the venue during his career, expressed confidence that his players will handle the atmosphere on the big stage.
The Belgian coach, the longest-serving manager in Bafana Bafana history, described South Africa’s World Cup qualification as the result of years of steady progress and said the moment represents a source of national pride.
