Bafana Confirm Mexico Base Camp For 2026 FIFA World Cup
The South African Football Association (SAFA) has confirmed that Bafana Bafana will be based in Pachuca, Mexico, for the FIFA World Cup.
South Africa will train at Universidad del Futbol and stay at the Camino Real Pachuca hotel, located just outside the city of Pachuca.
At the FIFA World Cup draw in December last year, Bafana Bafana were placed in Group A alongside co-hosts Mexico, South Korea and the winner of the European playoff, to be contested by Denmark, North Macedonia, Czechia or the Republic of Ireland next March.
Bafana Bafana will open the entire 2026 World Cup against co-hosts Mexico on 11 June. The monumental fixture will take place at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, one of the most historic football venues in the world. The match is a repeat of the memorable opening game of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Head coach Hugo Broos, who featured for Belgium at the 1986 World Cup, explained the reasoning behind choosing Pachuca as their base.
“In 1986, I was here with the Belgium national team as a player,” said Broos.
“I have enough experience to know that before playing against Mexico, we need a high-altitude camp. I met people from Pachuca in Washington, and they proposed this location. I told them we would assess all our options in the coming weeks and decide what would be best for us.
“There were a few other options, but one very important factor for me was that we must already be in Mexico and start our high-altitude preparations there, instead of travelling again from somewhere else just a few days before the match.”
After facing Mexico, Bafana Bafana’s second Group A match on 18 June will be against the winner of the European playoff.
Broos’ side will then conclude their group-stage campaign against South Korea. With the new World Cup format expanding the knockout stage to 32 teams, securing a positive result in the final group match could be crucial to South Africa’s hopes of reaching the knockout rounds for the first time in their history.
