Bafana Bafana Legend Joins BBC Sport Punditry Line-Up

Benni McCarthy, South Africa’s all-time leading goalscorer, has been included in the BBC’s star-studded line-up of pundits for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

BBC Sport confirmed that an all-star cast of pundits will feature in the broadcaster’s television coverage of the tournament from Salford, while reporters stationed across the United States, Canada, and Mexico will provide the latest updates and stories throughout the competition.

Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman, Gabby Logan, and Alex Scott will lead BBC Sport’s television coverage, alongside pundits including Alan Shearer, Wayne Rooney, and Micah Richards.

Other notable names in the line-up include Ellen White, Steph Houghton, Rachel Corsie, Olivier Giroud, Joe Hart, César Azpilicueta, Lucas Leiva, and Thomas Frank. All 104 matches of the tournament will be covered across BBC platforms.

“The BBC is turning the biggest World Cup in history into the most iconic one yet. We’re bringing fans closer to every match, every moment, and every story than ever before,” said Alex Kay-Jelski, BBC Director of Sport.

“Sport truly unites people like nothing else, so we can’t wait for fans to enjoy not only the live matches with us, but also an abundance of football content all day, every day across our platforms.

“Whether it’s our new series on YouTube and iPlayer, the biggest news stories on our website and app, our daily podcasts on Sounds, or the viral moments on social media, we’ll be there for audiences 24/7 this summer, taking them straight to the heart of the World Cup.”

McCarthy remains Bafana Bafana’s all-time leading scorer, with 31 goals in 80 appearances for the national team.

That tally could have been even higher had he not missed several call-ups after he felt he had been treated unfairly by the South African Football Association.

The 48-year-old, now head coach of the Kenya national football team, became the first South African player to score at a FIFA World Cup when he found the net against Denmark during the 1998 tournament. His shot slipped through the legs of former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel.

Bafana had opened their campaign with a 3-0 defeat to hosts and eventual champions France.

Their final group-stage match ended in a 2-2 draw against Saudi Arabia, with South Africa finishing the tournament on two points.

McCarthy arrived at that World Cup in fine form after sharing the Golden Boot at the 1998 Africa Cup of Nations with Hossam Hassan of Egypt. He scored seven goals in the tournament, including four against Namibia, as they lost in the final.

At the 2002 FIFA World Cup, McCarthy scored again as Bafana lost 3-2 to Spain in their final group-stage match, where a draw would have been enough to qualify for the knockout stages.

Coached by Jomo Sono, South Africa had drawn 2-2 with Paraguay and beaten Slovenia before facing Spain.

However, goalkeeper Andre Arendse made a costly error that allowed Raúl to score the decisive goal.

Two years later, McCarthy won the UEFA Champions League with FC Porto under José Mourinho, scoring twice in the knockout stages against his beloved Manchester United. He remains the only South African football player in history to win a UEFA Champions League winners’ medal.

McCarthy also came close to winning the English Premier League Golden Boot during the 2006/07 season, scoring 18 goals in 36 matches for Blackburn Rovers. He finished two goals behind Didier Drogba of Chelsea and two ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United.