What’s South Africa’s FIFA world ranking? More about Mexico’s group stage opponent

Mexico share their 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage with South Africa, who arrived at the tournament ranked 60th in the FIFA World Rankings. The opening match marked a rematch of the 2010 World Cup opener, when the two countries played to a memorable 1-1 draw in Johannesburg.

Despite being the lowest-ranked team in Group A, South Africa arrived at the competition looking to challenge expectations and make a strong impression on the global stage. Mexico, ranked 15th in the world, entered as the favorite, but Bafana Bafana hope to use their underdog status to create problems for the co-hosts.

It’s a challenging group that features teams from three different continents. Alongside Mexico and South Africa, Group A includes South Korea and Czechia, creating a competitive race for the two automatic places in the knockout stage.

How does South Africa compare to the rest of Group A?

According to the latest FIFA World Rankings, South Africa are the lowest-ranked nation in the group. The current standings are:

• Mexico — 15th
• South Korea — 25th
• Czechia — 40th in the FIFA ranking
• South Africa — 60th

While rankings provide a snapshot of recent performances, World Cup history has shown that lower-ranked teams can still produce surprises on the biggest stage.

With their signature yellow uniform, South Africa want to leave their mark in the global soccer scene. Under the abbreviation RSA, Bafana Bafana hope to prove why they belong in this year’s World Cup.