{"id":37193,"date":"2026-05-27T11:29:31","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T09:29:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/?p=37193"},"modified":"2026-05-27T11:29:32","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T09:29:32","slug":"president-fifa-world-cup-2026-send-off","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/president-fifa-world-cup-2026-send-off\/","title":{"rendered":"South Africa Unites Behind Bafana Bafana as President Ramaphosa Hosts FIFA World Cup 2026 Send-off Dinner"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">President Cyril Ramaphosa will tonight host the official FIFA World Cup 2026 send-off dinner for Bafana Bafana at the Sefako M. Makgatho Presidential Guesthouse in Pretoria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The gala marks the formal farewell to South Africa&#8217;s senior men&#8217;s national football team ahead of their departure to the global showpiece, co-hosted by Mexico, the United States, and Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Held under the theme <strong>&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thepresidency.gov.za\/president-ramaphosa-host-bafana-bafana-world-cup-send-dinner\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">United by Hope, Driven by Pride<\/a>,&#8221;<\/strong> the dinner brings the nation&#8217;s leadership, football fraternity, and invited guests together in a moment of collective celebration, capturing the spirit of millions of South Africans rallying behind a squad that has carried the country&#8217;s footballing hopes back onto the world stage after a 16-year absence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Presidential Salute to the Nation&#8217;s Footballers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The ceremony begins at <strong>19h00<\/strong>, with President Ramaphosa joined by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Mr Gayton McKenzie<\/strong>, Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Dr Danny Jordaan<\/strong>, President of the South African Football Association (SAFA)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Members of the <strong>Bafana Bafana technical team<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>players<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Invited guests<\/strong> drawn from across the football, business, and public sectors<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The FIFA World Cup 2026 squad reveal<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The evening&#8217;s centrepiece will be the formal announcement of the final <strong>26-man squad<\/strong> by Head Coach Hugo Broos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Belgian tactician&#8217;s calm, methodical leadership has steered Bafana Bafana back to football&#8217;s most prestigious tournament and his squad reveal is one of the most anticipated football moments in recent South African memory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Supporters across the country will be watching closely to see which players carry the green and gold into the world&#8217;s first 48-team World Cup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">More than a ceremony<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By hosting the dinner at the Presidential Guesthouse, the country&#8217;s leadership is offering more than a ceremonial farewell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is a public affirmation that Bafana Bafana&#8217;s journey is the nation&#8217;s journey, a recognition that sport, perhaps more than any other arena, has the power to unify South Africans across language, geography, and generation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/bafana-fridays-return\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bafana Fridays Return as South Africa Rallies Behind Bafana Bafana\u2019s 2026 FIFA World Cup Campaign<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"gaute-354602532\" class=\"gaute-inbetween-content gaute-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;text-align: center;\"><div class=\"gaute-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1852772760112594\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1852772760112594\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1819787043\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Road Back: A 16-Year Wait Ends<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The last time South Africa appeared at a FIFA World Cup was in <strong>2010<\/strong>, when the country famously hosted the tournament and gifted the world the unforgettable sound of vuvuzelas, the rhythm of Diski Dance, and the warmth of a continent welcoming football&#8217;s biggest stage for the first time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The decisive night in Nelspruit<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Qualification for 2026 was secured on <strong>14 October 2025<\/strong>, when Bafana Bafana defeated Rwanda <strong>3\u20130<\/strong> at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Goals from:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Thalente Mbatha<\/strong> (4&#8242;)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Oswin Appollis<\/strong> (25&#8242;)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Evidence Makgopa<\/strong> (72&#8242;)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2026booked the country&#8217;s ticket and triggered nationwide celebrations from Cape Town to Polokwane.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The result allowed South Africa to top <strong>CAF Group C on 18 points<\/strong>, edging out a fiercely competitive field that included Nigeria and Benin in one of the tightest qualifying sections on the continent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A team finding its identity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under Hugo Broos, already a CAF Africa Cup of Nations-winning coach with Cameroon in 2017; Bafana Bafana have grown into a team defined by tactical discipline, attacking intent, and a renewed sense of identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Their 2023 AFCON campaign in C\u00f4te d&#8217;Ivoire, where they finished third after a memorable run, signalled a turning point. The World Cup qualification campaign confirmed it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Nation Behind the Boys<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For South Africans, this World Cup appearance is more than a sporting milestone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is a powerful symbol of resilience, renewal, and possibility at a moment when the country is hungry for stories that unite rather than divide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Excitement is building<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Across the country:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Supporters&#8217; groups are mobilising<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fan parks are being planned in major cities<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Branded merchandise is moving fast through retailers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Conversations in workplaces, schools, and townships are increasingly turning to one question \u2014 <em><strong>how far can Bafana go?<\/strong><\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, under Minister Gayton McKenzie, has been vocal in its support of the squad, while SAFA&#8217;s leadership has worked alongside the technical team to ensure that the players arrive at the tournament fully prepared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The presidential send-off underscores that this is a national project \u2014 one in which government, the football federation, the private sector, and ordinary South Africans all have a stake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"gaute-1167396124\" class=\"gaute-inbetween-content gaute-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;text-align: center;\"><div class=\"gaute-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1852772760112594\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1852772760112594\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1819787043\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Tournament Like No Other<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>first ever to feature 48 nations<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>first to be co-hosted by three countries<\/strong> \u2014 Mexico, the United States, and Canada<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For Bafana Bafana, the expanded format presents a genuine opportunity to make a meaningful impression on the global stage \u2014 and to inspire a new generation of South African footballers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As President Ramaphosa welcomes the squad tonight, the message from the highest office in the land is clear:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>South Africa stands as one behind Bafana Bafana.<\/strong> <strong>United by hope. Driven by pride. And ready to cheer the boys all the way.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>President Cyril Ramaphosa will tonight host the official FIFA World Cup 2026 send-off dinner for Bafana Bafana at the Sefako M. Makgatho Presidential Guesthouse in Pretoria. The gala marks the formal farewell to South Africa&#8217;s senior men&#8217;s national football team ahead of their departure to the global showpiece, co-hosted by Mexico, the United States, and<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":37202,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_focus_keyword":"","rank_math_title":"","rank_math_description":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[286,11097],"class_list":["post-37193","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news","tag-bafana-bafana","tag-fifa-world-cup"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37193","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37193"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37193\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37203,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37193\/revisions\/37203"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37202"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37193"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37193"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37193"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}