Bafana Bafana supporters are advised to be vigilant against World Cup ticket scams as they face a crucial match against South Korea, with 36 fraudulent domains already flagged by the FBI. Picture: ALFREDO ESTRELLA / AFP
Image: ALFREDO ESTRELLA / AFP
If Bafana Bafana pull off a surprise and qualify for the Round of 32 at the FIFA World Cup, there could be a massive spike in ticket sales from South African fans hoping to witness history.
South Africa have never progressed beyond the group stage at the quadrennial showpiece, and in their fourth FIFA World Cup appearance, there is still a chance they can do so — however slim it may be.
Bafana remain bottom of Group A with a goal difference of minus two. They are level on points with Czechia, who have a superior goal difference of minus one. South Korea sit second on three points, while Mexico top the group on six points.
All that remains for Bafana is a final group-stage clash against South Korea.
At the very least, Bafana need a draw. That would move them onto two points and above Czechia if the Europeans lose to Mexico.
In that scenario, Bafana would still have a realistic chance of progressing as one of the tournament’s best third-placed teams.
A victory over South Korea would be the ideal outcome. It would take Bafana to four points and, assuming Czechia lose to Mexico, secure qualification for the next round.
More importantly, a win would almost certainly see Bafana finish second in the group, avoiding the nervous wait that comes with relying on a best third-placed finish.
Should Bafana make it through, supporters eager to secure tickets for the knockout stages will need to be extra cautious online.
There are already 36 domains posing as World Cup ticketing websites that have been flagged by the FBI as fraudulent.
Oliver Weston, a spokesperson for online website experts SEO Backlinks, said fans should treat every World Cup ticketing page with caution until it proves legitimate.
“The frightening part is that these pages do not need to look suspicious to work,” Weston said.
“A scammer only needs a domain that feels close enough, a copied logo, a countdown timer and a payment box for people to believe it is real. This is especially true for older people who may not be as experienced online as younger generations.
“What everyone should be doing is typing the official sites directly, checking every character in the URL, and never letting urgency push them into a bank transfer, crypto payment or social media deal.”