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Build your Bafana Bafana XI for the FIFA World Cup 2026: the full guide.

~16 min read
Updated 2026/07/13
World Cup 2026 · 0 days to go
“Sport has the power to change the world.”
11

From the goalkeeper to the striker, draft your XI and 15-man bench.

TeamBranch reproduces the official structure of a football side: 1 goalkeeper, 10 outfield players, a tactical formation (4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, 3-5-2…), a captain, an armband. Eleven positions, eleven calls, from the keeper to the strikers.

Draft from Bafana Bafana 2026 (Ronwen Williams the captain and AFCON 2023 penalty hero, Lyle Foster, Percy Tau, Themba Zwane, Teboho Mokoena, Aubrey Modiba, Sphephelo Sithole, Mihlali Mayambela, Mothobi Mvala, Bongokuhle Hlongwane), the 1996 AFCON champions (Lucas Radebe, Mark Williams, Doctor Khumalo, Mark Fish, Eric Tinkler, Shaun Bartlett), the 2010 home World Cup squad (Steven Pienaar, Aaron Mokoena, Bafana Bafana's golden generation), the PSL DStv Premiership stars from Mamelodi Sundowns to Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, or pull from Brazil, Argentina, England, France, Spain. You can also build a 100% mates team for the township tournament.

28,000 players 11 positions 9 formations Share with one link
Signature mode · World Cup 2026 simulation

Your XI plays 8 matches to lift the trophy.

Most tools stop at the team sheet. TeamBranch takes you all the way through the tournament. You pick your side, we drop them into the official 48-team draw, and we simulate every fixture: 3 group games, then round of 32, round of 16, quarter-finals, semis, final. That's 8 matches end-to-end, with scores, goalscorers, cards and stats.

A single simulation engine, calibrated against the actual strength of the players you line up. For non-footballer cards (a friend, an MP, your boss), the engine infers strength from the person's profession: a soldier defends better than a singer, a lawyer keeps cool in a shootout, a baker holds his stamina deep into extra time. Re-run as many times as you want, share the tournament sheet.

▶ Run a simulation
Final bracket · sample simulation
Quarters
🇿🇦 Bafana2
🇲🇽 Mexico1
🇧🇷 Brazil3
🇲🇦 Morocco1
Semis
🇿🇦 Bafana1
🇧🇷 Brazil0
Final
🇿🇦 Bafana2
🇦🇷 Argentina1
🏆 World Champions · the new Madiba magic
8matches played
6Foster goals
0losses
1sttitle ever
World Cup 2026

My Bafana for USA, Canada, Mexico

Anticipate the XI of June 2026 against an opponent yet to be confirmed after the final draw. Build Hugo Broos's squad (or your own) to lift Bafana's first-ever World Cup glory. Ronwen Williams in goal, Lyle Foster up top, Themba Zwane pulling the strings. 16 years after the home cup heartbreak, the wait is over.

BroosWilliamsFosterZwane
AFCON 2027 & beyond

The XI for the next AFCON cycle

Re-build the side that'll chase the AFCON 2027 trophy. Senegal, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, Ghana, Cameroon: the African Cup of Nations is the toughest tournament outside the World Cup. Bafana have ONE star (1996) and chase a second.

AFCONSenegalNigeriaMorocco
PSL DStv Premiership

The XI of the domestic game

Mix the champions of Mamelodi Sundowns (CAF Champions League winners 2016, 8-time PSL kings), the legends of Kaizer Chiefs (Amakhosi, Soweto's gold and black), the historic Orlando Pirates (Buccaneers, Soweto), the talents of SuperSport United, Stellenbosch FC, Cape Town City, Sekhukhune United. The best South African XI from the local game.

SundownsChiefsPiratesSuperSport
Fun side · mates and family

The Sunday-arvo XI

Bra in goal, mate at right-back, your old man holding midfield, your sister out wide. Upload your own photo cards for the township tournament, the corporate five-a-side, the stag party XI, or just to fire up the WhatsApp group after church-league soccer on Saturday morning.

CustomPhotoFive-a-sideTownship
The XI Gazette · special World Cup edition
No. 256 · 1992 to 2026

From the readmission of '92 to a home World Cup and back to the global stage.

From readmission to FIFA in 1992 after years of apartheid-era ban (suspended from 1976 to 1992), to the 1996 AFCON triumph at home with Mark Williams's brace and Mandela in the stands, the 2010 World Cup hosting honour as the first African nation, the long wilderness of 16 years (2011-2023), and the AFCON 2023 bronze in Ivory Coast with Ronwen Williams the penalty hero: Bafana Bafana's journey is the rainbow nation's emotional arc. On TeamBranch, you can rebuild every generation, or rewrite the 2010 group-stage exit.

1996 · AFCON champions at home

Mark Williams, Doctor Khumalo, Madiba's blessing

South Africa 2-0 Tunisia, Soccer City, 3 February 1996. Two years after Mandela's election, the rainbow nation lifts its first major football trophy on home soil. Mark Williams comes off the bench in the 73rd minute and scores TWICE within four minutes. Clive Barker coaches, Lucas Radebe defends, Doctor Khumalo dictates from midfield. Mandela hands the trophy to captain Neil Tovey.

The squad of '96 — Phil Masinga, Mark Fish, Eric Tinkler, John Moshoeu, Shaun Bartlett — becomes the cultural symbol of the new South Africa. Football joined Madiba and rugby (1995) as the pillars of post-apartheid unity. Still the only AFCON star on the Bafana crest.

2010 · Soccer City · The home World Cup

Tshabalala's goal heard around the world

South Africa 1-1 Mexico (11 June, Soccer City). The opening match of the first African World Cup. Siphiwe Tshabalala rifles in a thunderbolt from outside the box on 55 minutes, the stadium and the entire continent erupt. The vuvuzelas reach a roar that defines the tournament. Mexico equalise late. South Africa 0-3 Uruguay: heartbreak, two penalties conceded. South Africa 2-1 France: a famous win over the previous finalists, but not enough on goal difference.

Bafana became the only host nation ever to be eliminated in the group stage. But the cultural legacy — vuvuzela, Waka Waka, the rainbow nation greeting the world — endures. Carlos Alberto Parreira coached, Aaron Mokoena captained, Steven Pienaar (Everton) was the star. Mandela's last public appearance was at the final at Soccer City.

2023 → 2026 · The Broos resurgence

Ronwen Williams's four saves, the road back

After 13 years of wilderness (missed 2014, 2018, 2022 World Cups, AFCON exits early), Hugo Broos takes over in 2021 and rebuilds. AFCON 2023 in Ivory Coast: third place. The defining moment: quarter-final vs Cape Verde, 0-0 after 120 minutes, Ronwen Williams saves FOUR penalties in the shootout — the most ever in a major international shootout. Bafana go through, beat DR Congo in the bronze final.

2026: Bafana qualified through CAF. The squad — Williams in goal, Mokoena, Mvala, Tau, Foster, Zwane, Hlongwane — has the look. The young Sundowns core (Modiba, Mokoena T., Mayambela) provides the engine. Lyle Foster's Premier League experience at Burnley adds firepower. The opening match is just weeks away. Bafana are back where they belong.

Architecture of the XI

How is a Bafana Bafana side actually built?

A football team lines up with 11 players on the pitch (a goalkeeper, ten outfielders) and 15 subs on the World Cup 2026 team sheet. Each position carries a precise role: it's exactly this grammar that TeamBranch reproduces for your XI.

The back line (a back five in 3-5-2, a back four in 4-3-3) is the structure: tough centre-backs, fullbacks who get forward. Midfield is the engine: recover, transition, create. The attack is the finish: pace, dribble, the killer touch. And the goalkeeper, the eleventh man, has won Bafana more matches than any other position — just ask anyone who watched Ronwen Williams in AFCON 2023.

The goalkeeper · No. 1
Ronwen Williams (captain, SuperSport United/Sundowns), Veli Mothwa, Sage Stephens. Reflexes, distribution, command. Williams' AFCON 2023 record of four saved penalties in one shootout is now folklore. Hans Vonk, Itumeleng Khune, Andre Arendse have all carried the gloves before him.
Centre-backs · 4 and 5
The cornerstones. Aerial duels, anticipation, build-up. Mothobi Mvala, Grant Kekana, Siyanda Xulu, Nkosinathi Sibisi. Yesterday: Lucas Radebe (Leeds United legend), Aaron Mokoena, Mark Fish, Neil Tovey (1996 captain).
Fullbacks · 2 and 3
The modern wing-backs. Cover the whole flank, defend then bomb forward. Khuliso Mudau at right-back, Aubrey Modiba at left-back. Yesterday: Tsepo Masilela, Bryce Moon, Siboniso Gaxa.
Defensive midfielder · 6
The anchor. Recovery, first pass, reading the game. Teboho Mokoena (Sundowns), Sphephelo Sithole (Belenenses). Yesterday: Eric Tinkler (1996), Aaron Mokoena (2010 captain), Macbeth Sibaya. The soul of the side.
Box-to-box midfielders · 8 and 10
The engines. Volume of running and technical quality. Themba Zwane (the magician), Thapelo Maseko, Patrick Maswanganyi. Yesterday: Doctor Khumalo (the 16-year #10 emperor), John Moshoeu, Steven Pienaar (Everton).
The attack · 7, 9 and 11
Left winger, striker, right winger. Pace, dribble, finishing. Lyle Foster (Burnley) the modern centre-forward, Percy Tau (Al Ahly) the inverted winger, Mihlali Mayambela, Bongokuhle Hlongwane, Iqraam Rayners. Yesterday: Shaun Bartlett, Phil Masinga, Benni McCarthy (the only Bafana striker to win the Champions League — with Porto 2004), Mark Williams.
Football lexicon

The words you need to talk football like FNB Stadium on Soweto derby day.

Goal
The whole point of the exercise: getting the ball into the opposition net (7.32 m × 2.44 m). Worth 1 point, no bonus, no try-conversion. The absolute unit of football.
Penalty box
The 18-yard area in front of goal. Inside it, the keeper can use his hands. A defensive foul here = penalty kick.
Penalty kick and free kick
The penalty (12 yards out, 1-v-1 with the keeper, around 75% conversion) sanctions a foul in the box. The free kick direct or indirect from a foul outside it. Bafana specialists: Doctor Khumalo from set pieces, Siphiwe Tshabalala's 2010 World Cup opener, Themba Zwane today.
Offside
The attacker needs at least two defenders between him and the goal line at the moment the ball is played forward. VAR has changed how it's policed. Most argued-about rule in football.
VAR and video review
Video Assistant Referee. Made official at the 2018 World Cup. Reviews goals, penalties, red cards, mistaken identity. Far less controversial by 2026, after eight years of bedding in. Will be in heavy use across all 104 matches.
Formations · 4-3-3 / 4-2-3-1 / 3-5-2
The tactical systems. 4-3-3 = modern standard (Bafana under Broos). 4-2-3-1 = double pivot plus 10 (Germany). 3-5-2 = three centre-backs plus wing-backs (Italy 2006). 5-3-2 = bus-parking mode.
Penalty shootout
The final test after extra time. Five takers each alternating, sudden death after that. Ronwen Williams's four-save shootout vs Cape Verde at AFCON 2023 is THE moment in modern Bafana folklore — a world record at major-tournament level.
Bicycle kick and rabona
The signature pieces of skill. Bicycle kick = overhead in mid-air (Benni McCarthy had a famous one). Rabona = behind-the-standing-leg cross or strike. Cruyff turn, step-over, nutmeg (or "panna"). Tsabalalafication: Tshabalala's 2010 striking-from-the-pocket finish.
Catenaccio and tiki-taka
The great tactical schools. Catenaccio = ultra-defensive Italian football. Tiki-taka = Spanish possession monster 2008-2012. Gegenpressing from Germany. Joga bonito from Brazil. South African football: township flair — Khumalo's tricks, Tshabalala's swagger, Zwane's silk.
Five eras · Five iconic Bafana sides

Replay the Bafana Bafana sides that defined the rainbow nation.

Every generation has its faces, its system, its legends. On TeamBranch, you can rebuild each side player-for-player, or swap a single name to see what happens. What if Benni McCarthy had played 2010 in his prime? What if Williams had been around in 1996? Answer in 60 seconds.

1992 to 1996
Readmission and AFCON glory
Readmitted to FIFA in 1992 after years of apartheid ban. AFCON 1996 winners at home under Clive Barker. Mark Williams's brace, Doctor Khumalo's brilliance, Lucas Radebe's leadership, Mandela handing the trophy to Neil Tovey. The rainbow nation moment.
WilliamsKhumaloRadebeTovey
1998 to 2002
First World Cups
France 1998 first appearance, two draws (3-0 loss to France). Korea-Japan 2002: beat Slovenia 1-0, drew Paraguay, lost narrowly to Spain. Both group exits. Quinton Fortune, Lucas Radebe, Aaron Mokoena, Benni McCarthy emerging.
FortuneMcCarthyMokoenaBartlett
2010 · Home World Cup
First African World Cup hosts
South Africa hosts the World Cup, the first African nation. Tshabalala's opener vs Mexico, beat France 2-1, group exit on goal difference — only host ever eliminated in groups. Vuvuzela soundtrack, Waka Waka, Mandela's farewell at Soccer City final. Cultural triumph beyond results.
PienaarTshabalalaMokoenaKhuneParker
2011 to 2022
The wilderness years
Missed 2014, 2018, 2022 World Cups. Coach merry-go-round (Igesund, Mashaba, Baxter, Ntseki). AFCON 2015 group exit, 2017 missed, 2019 quarter-final lone bright spot. Steven Pienaar retires, Bafana lose international relevance. The lost decade.
PienaarKhuneTshabalalaPhala
2023 to 2026
The Broos resurrection
AFCON 2023 BRONZE in Ivory Coast, Williams's four saved penalties vs Cape Verde a world record. 2026 World Cup qualified from CAF. The Sundowns spine (Mokoena, Modiba, Zwane), Foster's Premier League goals, Tau's Egypt-based class. Back on the world stage after 16 years.
WilliamsFosterTauZwaneMokoena
“
Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does.
Nelson Mandela, Madiba — Laureus World Sports Awards, Monaco, 25 May 2000. The defining words of the rainbow nation's relationship with sport, embodied at the 1995 RWC and the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Every football XI you can build.

9 themes · no sign-up
★
Bafana for World Cup 2026

My Bafana for USA, Canada, Mexico

Build the XI that'll wear the green-and-gold at the 2026 World Cup. Mix the cornerstones (Ronwen Williams, Mothobi Mvala, Percy Tau, Themba Zwane) with the new wave (Lyle Foster, Teboho Mokoena, Aubrey Modiba, Sphephelo Sithole, Mihlali Mayambela, Bongokuhle Hlongwane, Iqraam Rayners). Your XI, your bench, your captain. Broos calls the official one, but you call yours.

GK WilliamsCB MvalaCM MokoenaST FosterRW Tau
Bafana · 202652 internationals
⭐
The 1996 AFCON champions

The XI of Clive Barker

Andre Arendse in goal, Sizwe Motaung, Lucas Radebe, Mark Fish, David Nyathi at the back, Eric Tinkler, John Moshoeu, Doctor Khumalo in midfield, Phil Masinga, Shaun Bartlett, Mark Williams up top (or coming off the bench for those two famous goals). The XI of 3 February 1996 at Soccer City, when Mandela himself handed Neil Tovey the trophy.

R RadebeK KhumaloW WilliamsF Fish
03/02/1996 · Soccer City22 heroes
🏆
The 2010 home World Cup squad

The XI of Carlos Alberto Parreira

Itumeleng Khune in goal, Siboniso Gaxa, Aaron Mokoena, Bongani Khumalo, Tsepo Masilela at the back, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Steven Pienaar, Kagisho Dikgacoi, Siphiwe Tshabalala in midfield, Katlego Mphela, Bernard Parker up top. The XI that opened the 2010 World Cup at Soccer City vs Mexico, Tshabalala's thunderbolt forever in memory.

P PienaarT TshabalalaK KhuneM Mokoena
11/06/2010 · Soccer City23 hosts
🌍
World Cup legends

The all-time World Cup XI

Beyond Bafana: Pelé, Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldo Nazário, Franz Beckenbauer, Johan Cruyff, Zinédine Zidane, Garrincha, Lev Yashin, Paolo Maldini. The absolute XI of World Cup history: 96 years of glory.

P PeléM MaradonaM MessiZ Zidane
1930 → 2022800 legends
🔵
Banyana Banyana · women's team

The Banyana, your way

Build the African champions Banyana Banyana of Desiree Ellis. Andile Dlamini in goal, Bambanani Mbane, Karabo Dhlamini, Lebogang Ramalepe at the back, Refiloe Jane (captain), Linda Motlhalo, Robyn Moodaly, Thembi Kgatlana (Africa's record-equalling scorer), Hildah Magaia, Jermaine Seoposenwe. AFCON Women's champions 2022 in Morocco, FIFA WWC 2023 R16 (beat Italy 3-2 in Wellington).

K KgatlanaM MagaiaJ JaneD Dlamini
Banyana · 2026180 players
🦁
CAF · African legends

The all-Africa XI

The continent's finest: George Weah (Liberia, only African Ballon d'Or 1995), Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon, 4-time African POY), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast), Yaya Touré, Mohamed Salah (Egypt), Sadio Mané (Senegal), Roger Milla (Cameroon 1990), Lucas Radebe (Bafana), Achraf Hakimi (Morocco). The Atlas Lions of Morocco wrote new African history with the 2022 semi-final.

D DrogbaE Eto'oS SalahR Radebe
CAF · 54 nations1,800 players
🏟
PSL DStv Premiership

The XI of the local game

Mix the champions of Mamelodi Sundowns (the Brazilians, dominant force), the Amakhosi of Kaizer Chiefs (Soweto's gold and black, biggest fanbase), the Buccaneers of Orlando Pirates (Soweto's other giant), the SuperSport United, the Stellenbosch FC, the Cape Town City, the Sekhukhune United, the AmaZulu. The best PSL XI on one team sheet.

SUN SundownsCHI ChiefsPIR PiratesSSP SuperSport
PSL · 16 clubs640 cards
🎬
South African icons

The unlikely XI

Trevor Noah in goal (great reactions), Charlize Theron at left-back, Tyla on the wing (the swagger), Black Coffee with a free role (sets the tempo), Cassper Nyovest as captain, Master KG spreading the Jerusalema, DBN Gogo at #10. The only XI where Sir Patrick Stewart can hand out match-day instructions.

T TrevorC TheronT TylaB Black Coffee
Film · Music · Culture1,400 cards
👨‍👩
Your circle

The XI of your club, your mates, your family

Upload your own photo cards. Stick your brother at number 10, your bra at left-back, your sister out wide, your old man as captain. The local township club XI, the district team, the church-league five-a-side, the after-braai social side. Custom and unlimited.

+ Photo+ Photo+ Photo+ Photo
Custom · freeunlimited
World Cup 2026 · 0 days to go

The 2026 World Cup kicks off 11 June at the Estadio Azteca.

The 2026 World Cup runs across the USA, Canada and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July 2026, the first edition with 48 nations and 104 matches. 16 host cities, 12 groups of 4, final at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Bafana Bafana are back after 16 years away (last appearance: hosts 2010), determined to right the wrong of being the only host ever eliminated in the groups, with a squad that has tasted AFCON 2023 bronze and knows how to win shootouts.

On TeamBranch, build your Bafana XI for the 2026 World Cup today against the scenarios: Broos's current setup, a Sundowns-spine XI, the AFCON 2023 bronze side, an XI honouring the 1996 AFCON heroes, or a total reset. Six pre-loaded templates, editable in two clicks.

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Pre-loaded templates · World Cup 2026
01
Broos's current XI
The current squad: Williams, Mudau, Mvala, Sibisi, Modiba, Mokoena T., Sithole, Zwane, Tau, Foster, Hlongwane. The XI from the last AFCON qualifier.
→
02
The Sundowns-spine XI
Built around the Mamelodi Sundowns players: Williams, Mokoena, Modiba, Zwane, Mvala, Mailula, Mokwana. The PSL champions' base.
→
03
Bafana of all time XI
The legendary XI: Khune, Radebe, Fish, Pienaar, Khumalo, Tinkler, Tshabalala, McCarthy, Williams, Masinga, Bartlett. Three eras blended.
→
04
The 2010 home World Cup squad
Carlos Alberto Parreira's exact opening-match XI: Khune, Gaxa, Mokoena, Khumalo B., Masilela, Letsholonyane, Pienaar, Dikgacoi, Tshabalala, Mphela, Parker.
→
05
AFCON 2023 bronze XI
Broos's exact bronze-final XI in Abidjan vs DR Congo: Williams, Mudau, Mvala, Sibisi, Modiba, Mokoena T., Mokoena S., Zwane, Mokwana, Foster, Mayambela.
→
06
World XI · the benchmark
Not South African at all: your ideal XI on planet football. Courtois, Hakimi, Van Dijk, Rüdiger, T. Hernandez, Bellingham, Pedri, Rodri, Vinicius, Haaland, Salah.
→
World Cup tour

The 12 nations who shaped the World Cup, and their iconic XIs.

The World Cup has produced just 8 winners in 96 years. Global top: Brazil 5 stars, Germany and Italy 4, Argentina 3, France and Uruguay 2, England and Spain 1. Plus a handful of regular finalists or semi-finalists. On TeamBranch, you can build the XI of every nation: current, historical, or your ideal mix.

🇧🇷
Brazil
Auriverde · Seleção
5 stars (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002). The most-titled nation in history. Pelé, Garrincha, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Neymar.
PeléRonaldoNeymar
🇦🇷
Argentina
Albiceleste
3 stars (1978, 1986, 2022). Reigning world champions. Messi finally reached the summit in Qatar.
MaradonaMessiMascherano
🇩🇪
Germany
Die Mannschaft
4 stars (1954, 1974, 1990, 2014). Plus 4 lost finals. The European benchmark. Beckenbauer, Müller, Klose.
BeckenbauerKloseMüller
🇮🇹
Italy
Squadra Azzurra
4 stars (1934, 1938, 1982, 2006). Absent from the last two World Cups (2018, 2022). Catenaccio, Buffon, Pirlo, Cannavaro.
BuffonPirloBaggio
🇫🇷
France
Les Bleus · Coq
2 stars (1998, 2018). 4 finals. The Mbappé generation chase a third star in 2026. Lost 2-1 to Bafana at the 2010 home WC.
ZidaneHenryMbappé
🇺🇾
Uruguay
La Celeste
2 stars (1930, 1950). First World Cup and the "Maracanazo". 4th place 2010 in South Africa — including a 3-0 win over the hosts. The eternal Celeste.
CavaniSuárezForlán
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
England
Three Lions
1 star (1966, at home). Euro 2024 runners-up. Bellingham, Kane, Saka: the generation chasing a long-awaited second title.
BellinghamKaneSaka
🇪🇸
Spain
La Roja
1 star (2010, at Soccer City!). Euro 2024 champions. Tiki-taka tradition and the Pedri-Yamal class are peaking.
YamalPedriRodri
🇿🇦
South Africa
Bafana Bafana
1 AFCON star (1996, home). 4 World Cups (1998, 2002, 2010 hosts, 2026). AFCON 2023 BRONZE under Broos. Rainbow nation's pride.
RadebePienaarWilliams
🇳🇱
Netherlands
Oranje
3 lost finals (1974, 1978, 2010). Eternal runners-up. Cruyff, Bergkamp, Van Basten, Van Dijk.
Van DijkDepayGakpo
🇲🇦
Morocco
Atlas Lions
2022 World Cup semi-finalists, first African nation. Hakimi, Ziyech, Bono. The continent's pride alongside Bafana.
HakimiZiyechBono
🇳🇬
Nigeria
Super Eagles
3 AFCON titles (1980, 1994, 2013). 6 World Cup appearances. Bafana's biggest African rival. Osimhen, Lookman, Iwobi.
OsimhenLookmanIwobi
The 16 host cities · USA · Canada · Mexico

The 16 stadiums hosting the 2026 World Cup.

For the first time in history, the World Cup is hosted across three countries and 16 cities: 11 in the USA, 3 in Mexico, 2 in Canada. 104 matches in total, final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on 19 July 2026, opening match at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on 11 June. South Africa knows the host-nation drill — Soccer City 2010, the first African World Cup. On TeamBranch you can build the XI for the opening match, the XI for a specific stadium, or the XI for the final.

MEX
Estadio Azteca
Mexico City
Opening
NJ
MetLife Stadium
New York / NJ
Final
DAL
AT&T Stadium
Dallas
Semi-final
LA
SoFi Stadium
Los Angeles
8 matches
ATL
Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Atlanta
Semi-final
MIA
Hard Rock Stadium
Miami
3rd place
SF
Levi's Stadium
San Francisco
6 matches
PHI
Lincoln Financial
Philadelphia
6 matches
BOS
Gillette Stadium
Boston
7 matches
SEA
Lumen Field
Seattle
6 matches
KC
Arrowhead Stadium
Kansas City
6 matches
HOU
NRG Stadium
Houston
7 matches
TOR
BMO Field
Toronto
6 matches
VAN
BC Place
Vancouver
7 matches
GDL
Estadio Akron
Guadalajara
4 matches
MTY
Estadio BBVA
Monterrey
4 matches
Share

Your XI, in a single URL.

Every team built on TeamBranch generates a unique link and an Open Graph card with photos, numbers and a Bafana green-and-gold banner. Share on WhatsApp, X, Insta, challenge your bra, kick off the family braai debate or the township sweepstake.

Frequently asked

The classics on the perfect XI.

Pick of the questions most asked on Google and in our user messages.

How do I build my dream Bafana Bafana XI online?
Pick a tactical formation (4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, 3-5-2, 5-3-2…), then fill the 11 starting positions and the 15 subs from a pool of 28,000 players and personalities: current Bafana Bafana, 1996 AFCON champions, 2010 World Cup hosts, Lucas Radebe-Doctor Khumalo era legends, PSL DStv Premiership stars, or upload your own photo cards. You get a unique shareable link. No sign-up, completely free.
When does the FIFA World Cup 2026 kick off?
Thursday 11 June 2026 at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City for the opening match. The tournament runs through to Sunday 19 July 2026, final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. 104 matches across 39 days, the first 48-team edition: 12 groups of 4, top 2 plus the 8 best third-placed sides qualify for the round of 32. Bafana Bafana return after 16 years away (last appearance: hosts 2010).
Which 16 cities will host the 2026 World Cup?
11 in the USA: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York / New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle. 3 in Mexico: Mexico City (Estadio Azteca, opening match), Guadalajara, Monterrey. 2 in Canada: Toronto and Vancouver. The final is at MetLife Stadium (82,500 seats), the opening match at the Azteca (87,500 seats). South Africa knows the host-nation rhythm — we did it in 2010, the first African World Cup.
How is a football team actually structured?
The XI is 1 goalkeeper plus 10 outfield players in your chosen formation. In a modern 4-3-3: 4 defenders (2 fullbacks, 2 centre-backs), 3 midfielders (one anchor, two box-to-box), 3 forwards (two wingers, one striker). 15 subs on the team sheet at the 2026 World Cup (5 changes per match plus extra time). TeamBranch reproduces this grammar one-for-one — same shape, same numbers, same rules Hugo Broos and Ronwen Williams use every match.
Can I build a Bafana Bafana XI for the World Cup 2026?
Yes, that's the #1 use right now across South Africa. We've got 6 pre-loaded templates depending on your scenario: Broos's current squad with Ronwen Williams in goal, a Mamelodi Sundowns-heavy XI, the legendary 1996 AFCON winners, the 2010 home World Cup squad, the AFCON 2023 bronze side, a Bafana of all time. All editable, shareable, updated after every Broos squad announcement.
Can I make a team with my mates or my family?
Of course. 1.8 million custom XIs have already been created. Upload photos of your mates, your bra, your sister, your district coach, your church soccer team, and place them anywhere you want on the pitch. Perfect for the inter-township tournament, the company five-a-side, your stag party XI, or just to start a debate in the family WhatsApp group as 2026 approaches.
What about Banyana Banyana, the women's national team?
Banyana Banyana are fully integrated. Build the African champions of Desiree Ellis with Andile Dlamini in goal, Refiloe Jane (captain), Bambanani Mbane, Karabo Dhlamini at the back, Linda Motlhalo, Hildah Magaia, Thembi Kgatlana (Africa's record-equalling scorer), Jermaine Seoposenwe. AFCON Women's champions 2022 in Morocco, FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 Round of 16 in Australia/NZ — beat Italy in a thriller. The pride of the rainbow nation.
Which club leagues are covered?
The full PSL DStv Premiership (Mamelodi Sundowns — CAF Champions League winners 2016 and the dominant force, Kaizer Chiefs — the Amakhosi from Soweto with the largest fanbase, Orlando Pirates — the Buccaneers from Soweto, SuperSport United, Stellenbosch FC, Cape Town City, Sekhukhune United, AmaZulu, Polokwane City), plus Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, Saudi Pro League, MLS. Sasol League for the women's side. Over 720 club cards in total.
Which tactical formations does TeamBranch offer?
Nine: 4-3-3 (modern standard, what Broos prefers), 4-2-3-1 (double pivot plus number 10), 4-4-2 (classic, Clive Barker 1996 vintage), 3-5-2 (three centre-backs plus wing-backs), 3-4-3 (attacking, Conte-style), 5-3-2 (parking-the-bus), 4-1-4-1 (compact), 4-3-2-1 (Christmas tree), 3-4-2-1. You can switch anytime, your XI reshuffles automatically on the interactive pitch.
How many World Cups have Bafana Bafana been to?
Four, counting 2026: France 1998 (first appearance post-apartheid, group exit, two draws with Denmark and Saudi Arabia), Korea-Japan 2002 (group exit, beat Slovenia 1-0), South Africa 2010 (HOSTS — first African nation to host the World Cup, but the ONLY HOST ever to be eliminated in the group stage despite beating France 2-1 and drawing with Mexico 1-1, on goal difference), and now USA-Canada-Mexico 2026 after 16 years away. The wait is over.
Is it really free?
Yes, no exceptions. Building, sharing, exporting, adding custom photo cards, tactical simulation — all free. No sign-up needed, no intrusive ads, no paywall. Build as many Bafana XIs as you like, as many times as you like, for as many backyard tournaments as you like.
Does TeamBranch exist for other footballing nations?
Yes, 187 local editions including Brazil (Auriverde), Argentina (Albiceleste), England (Three Lions), Germany, Spain (La Roja), Italy (Squadra Azzurra), Portugal, the Netherlands (Oranje), Belgium, Morocco (Atlas Lions), Uruguay, Mexico, Japan, South Korea, plus our African brothers and sisters Nigeria, Senegal, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Ghana. Each edition has its own local player base, its own legends, and its own house terminology.