South Africa's all-time FIFA World Cup statistics

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In this continuously-updated article, we take a look at South Africa's all-time FIFA World Cup statistics.

All-time record across 4 FIFA World Cup appearances (1998–2026)

Confederation	CAF
Best FIFA World Cup achievement	Group stage (1998, 2002, 2010)
FIFA World Cup appearances (inc 2026)	4 (1998, 2002, 2010, 2026)
First FIFA World Cup	1998 (group stage)
Most recent FIFA World Cup	2010 (group stage)
Current sequence of successive qualifications (inc 2026)	1
FIFA World Cup hosts	2010 (group stage)

Record by tournament

Year - Host	Result	Head coach	Top scorer	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD
1930 - URU	Did not participate
1934 - ITA	Did not participate
1938 - FRA	Did not participate
1950 - BRA	Did not participate
1954 - SUI	Did not participate
1958 - SWE	Did not participate
1962 - CHI	Did not participate
1966 - ENG	Did not participate
1970 - MEX	Did not participate
1974 - FRG	Did not participate
1978 - ARG	Did not participate
1982 - ESP	Did not participate
1986 - MEX	Did not participate
1990 - ITA	Did not participate
1994 - USA	Did not qualify
1998 - FRA	Group stage	Philippe Troussier, FRA	Shaun Bartlett (2)	3	0	2	1	3	6	-3
2002 - JPN/KOR	Group stage	Jomo Sono, RSA	Five players (1)	3	1	1	1	5	5	0
2006 - GER	Did not qualify
2010 - RSA	Group stage	Carlos Alberto Parreira, BRA	Three players (1)	3	1	1	1	3	5	-2
2014 - BRA	Did not qualify
2018 - RUS	Did not qualify
2022 - QAT	Did not qualify
OVERALL RECORD				9	2	4	3	11	16	-5

P = Played · W = Won · D = Drawn · L = Lost · F = Goals for · A = Goals against · GD = Goal difference

All-time World Cup record

Phase	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
Overall	9	2	4	3	11	16	-5
Group stage	9	2	4	3	11	16	-5
Knockout phase	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

GF = Goals for · GA = Goals against · GD = Goal difference

General team records

Biggest win	2-1: vs France (group stage, 22/06/2010) 1-0: vs Slovenia (group stage, 08/06/2002)
Biggest defeat	0-3: twice, most recently, vs Uruguay (group stage, 16/06/2010)
Highest scoring draw	2-2: twice, most recently, vs Paraguay (group stage, 02/06/2002)
Highest scoring match	5 goals: South Africa 2-3 Spain (group stage, 12/06/2002)
Most goals scored in a match	2 goals: four times, most recently, 2-1 vs France (group stage, 22/06/2010)
Most goals conceded in a match	3 goals: three times, most recently, 0-3 vs Uruguay (group stage, 16/06/2010)
Most goals scored at a FIFA World Cup	5: 2002 (3 matches)
Fewest goals scored at a FIFA World Cup	3: twice, most recently, 2010 (3 matches)
Most goals conceded at a FIFA World Cup	6: 1998 (3 matches)
Fewest goals conceded at a FIFA World Cup	5: twice, most recently, 2010 (3 matches)

Streaks

Successive wins	1: twice, most recently, 22/06/2010 - present
Successive defeats	1: three times, most recently, 16/06/2010
Successive draws	3: 18/06/1998 - 02/06/2002
Successive matches without a defeat	4: 18/06/1998 - 08/06/2002
Successive matches without a win	4: 12/06/1998 - 02/06/2002
Successive matches with a goal scored	6: 18/06/1998 - 11/06/2010
Successive matches without scoring	1: twice, most recently, 16/06/2010
Successive clean sheets	1: 08/06/2002

Knockout records

Round by round WL record *ties won or lost

N/A

Extra time

N/A

Penalty shoot-outs

W0 L0

Player records

Most FIFA World Cup participations

2 - Aaron Mokoena (2002, 2010)

2 - Delron Buckley (1998, 2002)

2 - Steven Pienaar (2002, 2010)

2 - Siyabonga Nomvethe (2002, 2010)

2 - Quinton Fortune (1998, 2002)

2 - Lucas Radebe (1998, 2002)

2 - Mac SibayaBeth (2002, 2010)

2 - Hans Vonk (1998, 2002)

2 - Pierre Issa (1998, 2002)

2 - McCARTHY Benni (1998, 2002)

Most FIFA World Cup matches played

6 - McCARTHY Benni (3-1998; 3-2002)

6 - Quinton Fortune (3-1998; 3-2002)

6 - Lucas Radebe (3-1998; 3-2002)

6 - Aaron Mokoena (3-2002; 3-2010)

4 - Mac SibayaBeth (3-2002; 1-2010)

4 - Pierre Issa (3-1998; 1-2002)

3 - 21 players

Most FIFA World Cup goals scored

2 - Shaun Bartlett (2-1998)

2 - McCARTHY Benni (1-1998; 1-2002)

1 - Lucas Radebe (1-2002)

1 - Siphiwe Tshabalala (1-2010)

1 - Katlego Mphela (1-2010)

1 - Quinton Fortune (1-2002)

1 - Bongani Khumalo (1-2010)

1 - Siyabonga Nomvethe (1-2002)

1 - Teboho Mokoena (1-2002)

Most FIFA World Cup tournaments with a goal

2 - McCARTHY Benni (1998, 2002)

Youngest player to make an appearance at a FIFA World Cup

20y 193d - Delron Buckley vs Denmark (18/06/1998)

20y 212d - McCARTHY Benni vs France (12/06/1998)

21y 22d - Quinton Fortune vs France (1206/1998)

21y 189d - Aaron Mokoena vs Paraguay (02/06/2002)

21y 332d - Jabu Pule vs Slovenia (08/06/2002)

Youngest goalscorer at a FIFA World Cup

20y 218d - McCARTHY Benni vs Denmark (18/06/1998)

23y 167d - Bongani Khumalo vs France (22/06/2010)

24y 188d - Siyabonga Nomvethe vs Slovenia (08/06/2002)

25y 12d - Quinton Fortune vs Paraguay (02/06/2002)

25y 205d - Katlego Mphela vs France (22/06/2010)

Oldest player to make an appearance at a FIFA World Cup

34y 350d - Andre Arendse vs Spain (12/06/2002)

33y 61d - Lucas Radebe vs Spain (12/06/2002)

32y 209d - Mac SibayaBeth vs France (22/06/2010)

32y 202d - Siyabonga Nomvethe vs France (22/06/2010)

32y 188d - John Moshoeu vs Saudi Arabia (24/06/1998)

Oldest goalscorer at a FIFA World Cup

33y 61d - Lucas Radebe vs Spain (12/06/2002)

27y 327d - Teboho Mokoena vs Paraguay (02/06/2002)

25y 259d - Siphiwe Tshabalala vs Mexico (11/06/2010)

25y 236d - Shaun Bartlett vs Saudi Arabia (24/06/1998)

25y 205d - Katlego Mphela vs France (22/06/2010)

Most consecutive appearances with a goal

1: Nine players

Most goals in a match

2 - Shaun Bartlett vs Saudi Arabia (1998, group stage)

Hat-tricks

N/A

Fastest goal scored

4' - Siyabonga Nomvethe vs Slovenia (2002, group stage)

18' - Shaun Bartlett vs Saudi Arabia (1998, group stage)

19' 43'' - Bongani Khumalo vs France (2010, group stage)

Most clean sheets (GK)

1 - Andre Arendse (1-2002)

Red cards

Alfred Phiri vs Denmark (1998, group stage)

Itumeleng Khune vs Uruguay (2010, group stage)

Coaches

Most final tournaments

1 - Philippe Troussier, FRA (1998)

1 - Jomo Sono, RSA (2002)

1 - Carlos Alberto Parreira, BRA (2010)

Most matches

3 - Philippe Troussier, FRA (3-1998)

3 - Jomo Sono, RSA (3-2002)

3 - Carlos Alberto Parreira, BRA (3-2010)

Most matches won

1 - Jomo Sono, RSA (1-2002)

1 - Carlos Alberto Parreira, BRA (1-2010)

Youngest coach

43y 83d - Philippe Troussier vs France (12/06/1998)

46y 320d - Jomo Sono vs Paraguay (02/06/2002)

67y 104d - Carlos Alberto Parreira vs Mexico (11/06/2010)

Oldest coach

67y 115d - Carlos Alberto Parreira vs France (22/06/2010)

46y 330d - Jomo Sono vs Spain (12/06/2002)

43y 95d - Philippe Troussier vs Saudi Arabia (24/06/1998)

Penalties taken

Min.	Span	Player	Date	Match	Execution	Reason
90+3'	O2H	Shaun Bartlett, RSA	24/06/1998	RSA vs KSA	scored	Goal
90+1'	O2H	Quinton Fortune, RSA	02/06/2002	PAR vs RSA	scored	Goal

Penalties faced

Min.	Span	Goalkeeper	Opposition player	Team	Date	Match	Execution
45+2'	O1H	Hans Vonk	Sami Al Jaber	Saudi Arabia	24/06/1998	RSA vs KSA	Conceded
74'	2H	Hans Vonk	Youssef Al Tunayan	Saudi Arabia	24/06/1998	RSA vs KSA	Conceded
80'	2H	Moneeb Josephs	Diego Forlan	Uruguay	16/06/2010	RSA vs URU	Conceded

Complete World Cup match results

Tournament	Date	Match
1998	12/06/1998	France 3-0 South Africa, Group stage (Marseille-FRA)
1998	18/06/1998	South Africa 1-1 Denmark, Group stage (Toulouse-FRA)
1998	24/06/1998	South Africa 2-2 Saudi Arabia, Group stage (Bordeaux-FRA)
2002	02/06/2002	Paraguay 2-2 South Africa, Group stage (Busan-KOR)
2002	08/06/2002	South Africa 1-0 Slovenia, Group stage (Daegu-KOR)
2002	12/06/2002	South Africa 2-3 Spain, Group stage (Daejeon-KOR)
2010	11/06/2010	South Africa 1-1 Mexico, Group stage (Johannesburg-RSA)
2010	16/06/2010	South Africa 0-3 Uruguay, Group stage (Tshwane/Pretoria-RSA)
2010	22/06/2010	France 1-2 South Africa, Group stage (Mangaung/Bloemfontein-RSA)