Bafana Bafana received two red cards in their FIFA World Cup 2026 opener against Mexico, bringing to four the total number of players to have received their early marching orders.
Midfielder Siphephelo Sithole, who plays his club football for CD Tondela in Portugal, received a straight red card in the 49th minute.
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In the 84th minute, Mamelodi Sundowns’ Themba Zwane was also sent for an early shower following a VAR review for violent conduct.
READ | Five reasons why Bafana Bafana lost to Mexico in World Cup opener
History books
The pair joined two other Bafana Bafana players in the history books as South Africans to have received red cards at World Cups.
Substitute Alfred Phiri was sent off after two yellow cards against Denmark at FIFA World Cup 2018 in France.
Phiri, who was playing his club football for Moroka Swallows at the time, came on as a 49th-minute substitute, but didn’t last long after receiving yellow cards in the 65th and 68th minutes.
That match finished 1-1.
Straight red
At FIFA World Cup 2010, Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune was shown a straight red card in the group stage clash against Uruguay at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria in the 68th minute following a foul on Luis Suárez.
Bafana Bafana trailled 1-0 at the time of Khune’s red card, and went on to lose 3-0.
South Africa’s FIFA World Cup Red Cards
| Player | Tournament | Match |
|---|---|---|
| Alfred Phiri | FIFA World Cup 1998 | vs Denmark (group stage) |
| Itumeleng Khune | FIFA World Cup 2010 | vs Uruguay (group stage) |
| Siphephelo Sithole | FIFA World Cup 2026 | vs Mexico (group stage) |
| Themba Zwane | FIFA World Cup 2026 | vs Mexico (group stage) |
The 2026 clash against Mexico was particularly significant because it became the first World Cup opening match in history to produce three red cards in total.
With Sithole and Zwane suspended for Bafana Bafana’s next Group A encounter against the Czech Republic, coach Hugo Broos will be forced to reshuffle his squad as South Africa look to revive their World Cup campaign.
Bafana Bafana’s remaining Group A FIFA World Cup 2026 fixtures
- Thursday, 18 June: Czech Republic vs South Africa, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta – 18:00 (SA time)
- Thursday, 25 June: South Africa vs South Korea, Estadio BBVA, Guadalupe – 03:00 (SA time)
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