Bafana Bafana has a historic opportunity to advance beyond the group stage at the FIFA World Cup due to the expanded format, which allows the eight best third-placed teams to progress, giving them a 66% chance if they avoid last place in Group A against Mexico, Korea Republic, and Czechia. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/Independent Media
Image: Ayanda Ndamane/Independent Media
Before they’ve even kicked a ball at the FIFA World Cup, this will be the best chance Bafana Bafana have ever had of advancing beyond the group stage for the first time.
That’s a fact, and it has nothing to do with the ability of the team itself. The expanded format of this year’s Fifa World Cup will be particularly kind to those sides that are unable to stand out right from the start.
As usual, the top two teams from the 12 groups will advance to the next round. However, for the first time, the eight best third-placed sides will also advance.
That means that after the first group stage of the FIFA World Cup, only 16 teams will be eliminated (the 12 last-place finishers in each group plus four third-placed teams).
It means that if Bafana can avoid finishing in last place in Group A, they have a 66% chance of advancing to the round of 32.
Of course, that’s easier said than done, but avoiding the bottom spot in the group stage of the FIFA World Cup has never meant anything tangible until now.
Bafana will still have their work cut out, though. Drawn in Group A alongside Mexico, Korea Republic, and Czechia (Czech Republic), it’s difficult to see how Bafana will overcome these sides.
Mexico are 15th in the FIFA world rankings, Korea Republic are 25th, and Czechia are 41st.Where is Bafana ranked? 60th.
It means the matches against Mexico and Korea, Bafana will be expected to lose, and even a draw in either of those clashes would be a good result.
Even against Czechia, Bafana will be heavy underdogs, and a stalemate could be the best they could hope for.
Fortunately for Bafana, games of football aren’t fought on paper, and the rankings won’t matter on match day.
If they can just manage to avoid the wooden spoon in their group, the odds will be in their favour to make history.