South Africa erupted in celebration on Thursday morning following Bafana Bafana's historic victory.
Image: Alfredo Estrella / AFP
The cold weather and extremely early start did little to deter South Africa's enthusiasm, with streets and venues erupting into celebration as Bafana Bafana stunned the nation with a 1-0 victory against South Korea in the early hours of Thursday morning.
There were wild celebrations around 5am in the streets of Durban, Soweto, Bloemfontein, and other places, as the national team defied the odds and secured a historic place in the knockout round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the first time in South African football history.
See how South Africans celebrated in the video below:
Over in Mexico, match hero Thapelo Maseko urged South Africans to savour the achievement after his decisive goal secured Bafana Bafana’s victory.
“This win is just for those who supported us and those who actually didn't support us, too,” said Maseko.
“They said we had a seven per cent chance of getting out of the group and yet here we are. We are thankful for everyone … we keep going.”
The winger also referenced the criticism and ridicule the squad faced earlier in the tournament, saying the players had shown their resilience and belief.
“We’ve been through a couple of rough patches. From the first game, the media bashing us, the memes were trending. But this team showed that they are capable and they are strong and they have some mentality in them.”
Bafana’s historic qualification triggered a wave of celebration and disbelief across social media, with celebrities joining fans in marking the milestone moment.
Radio and television personality Anele Mdoda-Mgudlwa was already casting her eyes ahead to the next stage, joking about the calibre of opposition Bafana could face.
"Lethani uMessi. No Mbappé. Sibafhuna one by one," she wrote.
Television presenter Maps Maponyane reflected the national mood of exhaustion mixed with joy, acknowledging that the celebrations were likely to stretch long into the day after the landmark victory.
"It's going to be a loooong day, South Africa, but it's going to be worth every single yawn because Bafana Bafana have qualified to the knockout stages of the FIFA World Cup for the first time in history!"
Comedian Trevor Noah kept his reaction short and emphatic, capturing the magnitude of the achievement in a single line.
"We made history!!!!!!"
Rapper Cassper Nyovest rounded off the celebrations with an exuberant outpouring of emotion, struggling to contain his excitement at the result.
"Oh my GAWD!!! Can you believe it??? We are through to the Round of 32!!! First time in history!!! Thank you, coach. Thank you, Maseko. Thank you, boys. The happiness!!! Kea groove this weekend!!!"
In the match itself, Bafana Bafana started brightly and created clearer openings in the first half.
Relebohile Mofokeng and Evidence Makgopa both went close as South Korea struggled to deal with South Africa’s pressing and movement between the lines, but wasteful finishing kept the scores level at the break. Following the interval, the introduction of captain Son Heung-min lifted South Korea and shifted momentum, with the Asians briefly pinning Bafana deeper and forcing a spell of sustained pressure.
The big breakthrough ultimately came from Hugo Broos’ substitutions, as Tshepang Moremi made an immediate impact off the bench before delivering a low cross that Thapelo Maseko controlled and finished in the 63rd minute.
From there, South Africa was forced to endure a nervy final period as South Korea pushed for an equaliser, but they held firm to secure a historic win and second place in Group A.
The result books Bafana Bafana a Round of 32 clash against co-hosts Canada on Sunday in Los Angeles.