Bafana Bafana rise to 48th in Fifa rankings after unbeaten international window

Bafana Bafana have climbed six places to 48th in the latest Fifa world rankings after winning all three of their matches during the recent international window.

The South African side remain 10th in Africa after an impressive run of results under Pitso Mosimane, who has made a perfect start to his second spell as coach.

Bafana Bafana began the window with a 2-1 victory over Guinea in the 2027 Afcon qualifiers before recording a 5-0 win against Eritrea in the return fixture. They completed the clean sweep by beating Egypt 1-0 away in an international friendly on Sunday night.

Despite the results, Mosimane has warned that the team still has significant work to do. He believes the strong start should not be viewed as proof that Bafana Bafana have reached their full potential, particularly because they have yet to secure qualification for next year’s Afcon finals in the Pamoja region.

The rise in the rankings could have important consequences for both the national team and South African players. A higher position may help Bafana Bafana secure a bye in qualifying matches for major tournaments.

It could also make it easier for South African players to move directly to the English Premier League, provided they satisfy the English FA’s Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) requirements for a work permit.

Players from South Africa have historically struggled to join their English clubs immediately because they did not automatically meet the GBE threshold, which requires at least 15 points. As a result, some have had to spend time on loan in lower-ranked European leagues before becoming eligible to play for their parent clubs in the EPL.

Percy Tau provides a notable example. After signing for Brighton & Hove Albion, he was unable to join the club directly and instead spent two seasons on loan in Belgium, first with Royale Union Saint-Gilloise and then Club Brugge.

Bafana Bafana’s latest ranking represents a significant improvement from their previous position of 54th in the world. However, the team’s results have also placed greater focus on maintaining that progress as the 2027 Afcon qualifying campaign continues.