Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos will come up against his Mexican counterpart, Javier Aguirre, on Thursday at the Azteca Stadium in a rematch of their meeting as players in the 1986 FIFA World Cup.

- The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off tonight with Bafana Bafana facing co-hosts Mexico at a packed and intimidating Estadio Azteca – a reunion of the two sides who famously drew 1-1 in the opening match of the 2010 World Cup.

- The match carries deep historical significance, with both Hugo Broos and Mexico’s setup described as seasoned “madalas [veterans]”, adding a compelling personal dimension to the fixture.

- Mexico City was buzzing with World Cup fever ahead of kick-off, though Bafana will face a ferociously hostile crowd in one of football’s most iconic and daunting stadiums.

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ROLLING COVERAGE HERE

Former Bafana Bafana forward Siyabonga Nomvethe says the men's national team must be soldiers in their opening game against Mexico on Thursday.

- As the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins on Thursday with Bafana Bafana’s opening Group A clash against Mexico, South Africa has never won a World Cup opener – a sobering record that looms large.

- Legendary former Bafana striker Siyabonga Nomvethe urged the current squad to approach the Azteca match with a warrior mentality, saying “we will need soldiers” to compete against the passionate home side.

- The weight of history and the atmosphere of a hostile Azteca crowd mean Bafana will need extraordinary resilience to break their winless streak on the biggest stage of all.

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Bafana Bafana train in Mexico City.

- The 2026 FIFA World Cup officially begins tonight, with the tournament’s opening match between Mexico and South Africa at 21:00 SA time at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

- The tournament is jointly hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada across 16 host cities (11 in the US, three in Mexico, two in Canada).

- For the first time, a 48-team format is used: 12 groups of four teams, with the top two from each group plus the eight best third-placed teams advancing to a 32-team knockout round.

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News24's Bathathe Bafana podcast for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

- As the 2026 FIFA World Cup gets under way, News24’s Lloyd Burnard and Tashreeq Vardien unpack exactly why Bafana Bafana’s participation in the tournament is so significant for South Africa.

- The podcast explores the national pride, historical context, and sense of redemption attached to Bafana’s return to the World Cup stage for the first time since 2010.

- The conversation covers the team’s realistic expectations, what success looks like for South Africa, and why this tournament moment transcends football for the nation.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST HERE

EFF leader Julius Malema is fighting to overturn his firearm conviction after being sentenced to five years in prison for firing a gun at a 2018 political rally in Mdantsane.

- Prosecutors have hit back strongly at Julius Malema’s appeal against his firearms-related conviction, describing his legal arguments as “absurd” and without merit.

- The prosecution contended that the evidence and facts on record clearly and unambiguously supported the original conviction, leaving no grounds for overturning the ruling.

- The appeal is currently before the court, with a ruling still pending that could have significant consequences for the EFF leader’s political future.

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PIC CEO Patrick Dlamini is accused of lying to Parliament.

- A bitter internal power struggle at the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) has escalated onto social media, with an alleged smear campaign destabilising the institution’s leadership.

- The conflict is linked to a factional battle that intensified following the suspension of chief investment officer Kabelo Rikhotso in 2025, with insiders alleging a group associated with former spokesperson Adrian Lackay is orchestrating efforts to remove the current board.

- The campaign reportedly involves the interception of internal communications, including emails and WhatsApp messages, raising serious governance concerns at one of Africa’s largest asset managers.

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Gauteng traffic chief Samuel Mashaba evaded questions about WhatsApp messages pointing to money exchanges, meetings with organised crime investigators and operational discussions with informant Tumelo Nku.

- A witness described as an alleged would-be cocaine thief faced intense questioning at the Madlanga Commission, repeatedly claiming they could not recall key events or details under cross-examination.

- Commissioners and legal teams pressed hard on the witness’s inconsistent and evasive testimony, highlighting significant gaps and contradictions in their account.

- The exchange underscored the broader scope of the commission’s inquiry into criminal infiltration of law enforcement, with the witness’s alleged drug-related conduct central to the proceedings.

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