Africa's biggest domestic football economy
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South Africa

Bafana Bafana · PSL · Soweto Derby · academies · stadiums · where to watch · betting market. The full map of South African football, updated for 2026.

National team arrow_downward Biggest clubs

AFCON titles

1

1996 (hosted)

World Cup hosted

1

2010 — first on African soil

FIFA ranking

#59

April 2026

PSL clubs

16

Betway Premiership

CAF CL titles (club)

2

Pirates 1995 · Sundowns 2016

Banyana WAFCON

1

women — 2022

The Bafana Bafana

sports_soccer
person

Head Coach

Hugo Broos

Since May 2021

military_tech

Captain

Ronwen Williams

account_balance

Governing Body

South African Football Association (SAFA)

apparel

Kit

Gold, green and black

stadium

Home Stadiums

  • FNB Stadium, Johannesburg (94,736)
  • Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban (56,000)
  • Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria (51,762)
info SAFA has no formal PSL-based player quota, but in practice Hugo Broos has kept senior-squad PSL representation above 50% — a deliberate pillar of the AFCON 2023 bronze run.

Tournament Record

AFCON 11 apps

Winner

1996 (hosted)

World Cup 4 apps

Best: Group stage

1998, 2002, 2010 (hosted), 2026 (qualified)

COSAFA Cup 21 apps

Winner (×7)

most recent 2021

Olympic Games 2 apps

Best: Group stage

2000, 2016

Legendary Players

LR

Lucas Radebe

1992–2003 · Defender

Bafana captain · Leeds United PL era · 1996 AFCON winner

70 caps · 2 goals
DK

Doctor Khumalo

1987–2002 · Midfielder

Most iconic Bafana creator · 1996 AFCON winner

67 caps · 10 goals
BM

Benni McCarthy

1997–2012 · Striker

Porto UCL winner · Bafana all-time top scorer

80 caps · 31 goals
ST

Siphiwe Tshabalala

2006–2018 · Winger

Scored the opening goal of the 2010 World Cup

90 caps · 11 goals
AM

Aaron Mokoena

1999–2012 · Midfielder

Bafana's most-capped player (107) · 2010 World Cup captain

107 caps · 2 goals
IK

Itumeleng Khune

2008–now · Goalkeeper

Kaizer Chiefs legend · 90+ Bafana caps

modern era

Top Leagues

Betway Premiership (PSL) 16 clubs · ZAR 15m prize · CAF qualifiers
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Motsepe Foundation Championship Promotion/relegation bridge to the PSL
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SAFA Second Division Regional semi-pro
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Hollywoodbets Super League Women's top flight · Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies dominant
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Fan Culture

South African football fandom is built on two pillars: the Soweto Derby and matchday culture. Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates fill 90,000-capacity FNB Stadium multiple times a season. Bafana Bafana run on vuvuzelas — introduced globally at the 2010 World Cup but used in South African football since the 1970s. PSL matchday attendance (7,800 average) is the highest in Africa.

local_fire_department Soweto Derby — Kaizer Chiefs vs Orlando Pirates arrow_forward local_fire_department Tshwane Derby — Mamelodi Sundowns vs SuperSport United arrow_forward

Top Clubs
All →

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Mamelodi Sundowns

Pretoria

15× titles
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Kaizer Chiefs

Johannesburg

4× titles
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Orlando Pirates

Johannesburg

3× titles
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Stellenbosch FC

Stellenbosch
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SuperSport United

Pretoria

3× titles
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Cape Town City

Cape Town

Famous Stadiums

stadium

FNB Stadium (Soccer City)

Johannesburg · 94,736 Cap.

Africa's largest football stadium · 2010 World Cup final host · Soweto Derby venue
stadium

Moses Mabhida Stadium

Durban · 56,000 Cap.

2010 World Cup semi-final host · Bafana regular
stadium

Loftus Versfeld

Pretoria · 51,762 Cap.

Mamelodi Sundowns home · rugby and football dual-use
stadium

Orlando Stadium

Johannesburg · 40,000 Cap.

Orlando Pirates home · deep Soweto football history

Academies — where the talent is made

A small number of structured academies produce most of the professionals. If you're tracking where the next generation comes from, start here.

Diambars FC Academy
place Cape Town · founded 2003
school
Notable alumni Idrissa Gana Gueye (Senegal, not SA), Joris Mboungou; partner of Thierry Henry / Patrick Vieira original Senegal academy
Mamelodi Sundowns Academy
place Pretoria · founded 2010
school
Notable alumni Teboho Mokoena, Jody Cingo, Sphelele Mkhulise
Kaizer Chiefs Academy
place Johannesburg · founded 1998
school
Notable alumni Siphiwe Tshabalala, Knowledge Musona (briefly), Mduduzi Shabalala
Stellenbosch FC Academy
place Stellenbosch · founded 2016
school
Notable alumni Iqraam Rayners, Jayden Adams — Western Cape's most-productive modern academy

tv Where to Watch

  • SUP
    SuperSport (DStv) Full PSL + Bafana fixtures — four dedicated SuperSport PSL channels
  • SAB
    SABC Sport One PSL match per matchday free-to-air · all Bafana home qualifiers
  • PSL
    PSL YouTube channel Highlight packages + selected delayed full matches

In the diaspora

  • UK: DStv Now international streaming (account required)
  • USA: SuperSport USA / Fubo add-on — selected PSL + Bafana matches
  • East Africa: SuperSport + GOtv

payments Betting Market

Online sports betting is legal and regulated at provincial level (Gauteng Gambling Board + provincial counterparts). Licensed operators include Betway (current PSL title sponsor), Hollywoodbets (Women's Super League sponsor), SunBet and SupaBets. PSL markets have the deepest volume; Bafana Bafana tournament markets spike during AFCON / WCQ windows.

Gambling in South Africa — full guide (coming 2026) arrow_forward

edit_note Top Authors

NM

Naledi Mokoena

Senior Writer · PSL + Mamelodi Sundowns
SD

Sibusiso Dube

Junior Writer · Bafana Bafana + academy scouting

 Write for South Africa →
female

Women's football

Banyana Banyana won their first WAFCON title in 2022 (hosted in Morocco) and reached the Round of 16 of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia / New Zealand — the deepest-ever South African run at a senior Women's World Cup. Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies are South Africa's dominant domestic side, with CAF Women's Champions League semi-final appearances in 2022 and 2023.

WAFCON titles
1×
Team
Banyana Banyana
Captain: Refiloe Jane
Head coach
Desiree Ellis
Since August 2016
League
Hollywoodbets Super League
Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies + JVW FC

help Frequently Asked Questions

What is South Africa's national football team called? add
The senior men's team is Bafana Bafana ('The Boys Boys' in Zulu). The women's team is Banyana Banyana ('The Girls Girls'). Age-group teams are the Amajita (U-20) and the Amajimbos (U-17).
How many AFCON titles has South Africa won? add
One. South Africa won the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations as hosts, beating Tunisia 2–0 in the final at FNB Stadium. Bafana Bafana have since reached three more AFCON semi-finals and took bronze at AFCON 2023 in Côte d'Ivoire.
What is the best football league in South Africa? add
The Premier Soccer League (PSL), currently sponsored as the Betway Premiership. 16 clubs play 30 matches per season; Mamelodi Sundowns have won eight consecutive titles and 15 overall. The PSL is Africa's highest-revenue domestic league.
Who is the best football player in South Africa right now? add
As of 2026, Themba Zwane (Mamelodi Sundowns) is the reigning CAF African Player of the Year (Africa-based) and the country's consensus best creator. Ronwen Williams — the Bafana captain and Sundowns goalkeeper — won the 2024 CAF Goalkeeper of the Year.
When did South Africa host the World Cup? add
South Africa hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup — the first World Cup held on African soil. Siphiwe Tshabalala's opening goal in the opening match vs Mexico at FNB Stadium is one of the iconic images of modern African football. Bafana Bafana went out at the group stage.
Which South African club is most successful in African competition? add
Orlando Pirates won the CAF Champions League first (1995), becoming the first South African club to lift Africa's top club trophy. Mamelodi Sundowns won it in 2016 and were runners-up in 2001. Sundowns also won the 2017 CAF Super Cup — the country's most recent continental trophy.
Where can I watch the PSL outside South Africa? add
SuperSport GOtv carries the full PSL across Africa. In the US, SuperSport USA / Fubo add-on covers selected PSL and Bafana matches. In the UK / Europe, DStv Now offers international streaming to paid account holders. Bafana Bafana tournament fixtures are generally on Fubo Sports in the USA.
Has South Africa won the Women's World Cup? add
No — Banyana Banyana's best World Cup finish is the Round of 16 (2023 in Australia / New Zealand). At continental level, however, South Africa won the 2022 WAFCON in Morocco, their first women's continental title.
Who is Bafana Bafana's all-time top scorer? add
Benni McCarthy with 31 goals from 80 caps. He remains Bafana's record scorer and is the only South African to have won the UEFA Champions League (with Porto in 2003–04).
What is the best football academy in South Africa? add
Mamelodi Sundowns Academy is the most productive modern academy — Teboho Mokoena and several current first-team regulars came through. Stellenbosch FC Academy is the fastest-rising institution, responsible for the current Iqraam Rayners era. Diambars FC in Cape Town has pan-African scouting reach.
Who is in the current South Africa football squad? add
Bafana Bafana's current core under Hugo Broos includes regulars such as Themba Zwane, Teboho Mokoena, Ronwen Williams (captain, Sundowns), Lyle Foster, Percy Tau, Relebohile Mofokeng, and Iqraam Rayners. For the definitive 23-man matchday squad, check SAFA's official announcements ahead of each AFCON / WCQ international window.

Related Hubs

League Premier Soccer League Club Mamelodi Sundowns Club Orlando Pirates Club Kaizer Chiefs Player Themba Zwane Player Ronwen Williams Player Relebohile Mofokeng

Last updated 2026-04-21 · written by Naledi Mokoena (Johannesburg-based PSL Writer).