LIVE | Bafana Bafana vs Panama – Friday, 27 March 2026
· The South African
Bafana Bafana will take on Panama in an international friendly at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Friday night, as preparations for their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign continue.
Kick-off is at 19:00.
Visit casino-promo.biz for more information.
The match, which will be broadcast live on SABC Sport, is the first of two friendlies between the nations, with a second encounter scheduled for next week Tuesday, 31 March at the Cape Town Stadium in Cape Town.
Kick-off in that match is at 19:30.
Rare Meeting Between Sides
This will be only the second meeting between the two teams.
Their previous clash came in the 2005 Gold Cup quarter-finals, where Panama triumphed 5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
Rankings and Recent Form
According to the latest FIFA rankings, Panama are ranked 33rd in the world, while South Africa are in 60th spot.
Both sides are looking to bounce back from recent defeats.
Bafana Bafana were eliminated in the Round of 16 at the Africa Cup of Nations after losing to Cameroon, while Panama’s last outing ended in defeat to Mexico, one of the co-hosts of the upcoming World Cup.
Building Towards June
With South Africa set to face Mexico in their opening World Cup fixture at 11 June, the friendly offers head coach Hugo Broos a valuable opportunity to assess his squad against international opposition.
As the countdown to 2026 continues, Friday’s clash provides Bafana Bafana with a crucial test – and a chance to build momentum on home soil.
Panama have been drawn in Group L at this year’s FIFA World Cup alongside England, Croatia and Ghana.
Meanwhile, Bafana Bafana have been drawn alongside co-hosts Mexico and South Korea in Group A at FIFA World Cup 2026.
The identity of their third and final group stage opponents has yet to be determined, but will be one of Czech Republic or Denmark.
South Africa will take on Mexico in the opening match of the tournament on 11 June.
Bafana Bafana’s second Group A match will be against the yet-to-be-determined fourth side in the group on 18 June, while their clash against South Korea is scheduled for 24 June.
As a reminder, the top two sides in each of the 12 groups plus the eight best third-ranked sides will progress to the Round of 32 at a World Cup which will feature 48 teams for the first time ever.
Prediction
Bafana Bafana 1-1 Panama