In 1996, Bafana Bafana was ranked 16th in the world and 1st in Africa after winning the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on home soil that year.
Fast forward to 2025, and Bafana Bafana is placed 56th in the world and 10th in Africa, as confirmed by the latest FIFA rankings released on Thursday, 3 April.
Generally, football supporters are baffled why Bafana Bafana are moving up at a snail’s pace despite being the talk of the town these days, owing to great performances under coach, Hugo Broos.
Bafana Bafana came third at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, and currently, Broos’s charges are unbeaten in 18 matches under the Belgian (W9 D9 since losing to Mali at AFCON, excluding COSAFA Cup & CHAN).
However, things weren’t looking good for Bafana Bafana before Broos took over.
In 2011, Bafana Bafana dropped eleven spots from 38 to 47, and in the following years, they couldn’t arrest the downward spiral.
By 2017, the team was ranked 81st in the world, and since Broos came on board on 5 May 2021, on a five-year contract, Bafana Bafana now have their sights firmly on the top 50.
The difference in points between Bafana Bafana, ranked 56th, and Cameroon, in 50th spot, is twenty (20).
FIFA uses a rather complicated method to calculate the number of points gained, but world-renowned football publication FourFourTwo has previously simplified it, based on the importance of a match, also considering the opponent’s position in the rankings and tournaments.
For example, Bafana moved up eight places from 66 to 58 after finishing third at the AFCON.
The full breakdown is as follows:
5 points: Friendly played outside International Match Calendar windows.
10 points: Friendlies played during International Match Calendar windows.
15 points: AFCON group stage games.
25 points: Qualification matches for Confederations finals (e.g., AFCON qualifying, Copa America qualifying, etc.); World Cup qualifying matches.
35 points: Confederation finals match up to (but excluding) the quarter-finals (e.g., the AFCON group stage and round of 16).
40 points: Confederation finals matches from the quarter-finals onwards (e.g., from the AFCON quarter-finals to the final); all FIFA Confederations Cup matches
50 points: World Cup finals matches up until (but excluding) the quarter-finals60 points: World Cup finals matches from the quarter-finals onwards.
The ball is in Bafana Bafana’s court and catching up with the best, firstly in Africa, would be a difficult ask.
Number 1 in Africa is Morocco, who were semifinalists at the FIFA 2022 World Cup and the North Africans have amassed 1 694 points, while Bafana Bafana are 10th in Africa, with 1 445 points.
The gap between Morocco and Bafana Bafana is a massive 249 points.
However, should Bafana Bafana fare well in the 2025 AFCON and go on to qualify and do well in the FIFA 2026 World Cup, the sky is the limit.
