The Opta Power Rankings have rated all 48 World Cup nations ahead of the 2026 tournament – and the data gives a fascinating insight into exactly what Bafana Bafana are up against in Group A.
South Africa head into the 2026 FIFA World Cup as the lowest-rated side in Group A according to the Opta – but the gap to their opponents is smaller than many might expect.
Opta’s Power Rankings assign each nation a numerical rating based on historical performance data. Spain top the entire tournament with a perfect score of 100.0 in Group H.
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At the other end of the scale, South Africa are rated 66.1 – among the lowest ratings of any side in the competition.
In Group A, Mexico lead the way with a rating of 81.0 – reflecting their status as co-hosts and one of CONCACAF’s most powerful nations. South Korea sit second on 76.4, Czech Republic third on 73.0 and South Africa fourth on 66.1.
The group average of 74.1 makes it the fourth weakest group in the tournament.
While some of the 2026 FIFA World Cup groups appear wide open and others heavily stacked, assessing true difficulty can be subjective.
Thankfully, we have the Opta Power Rankings to help us rank them from strongest to weakest. pic.twitter.com/vv48EO5FAS
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) June 5, 2026
Bafana’s three opponents are rated between 73.0 and 81.0 – competitive nations but not the tournament’s heavyweights. The 6.9-point gap between South Africa and Czech Republic suggests a genuinely competitive match in Atlanta on 18 June.
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Even the gap to Mexico – their opening opponents – stands at just 14.9 points.
For comparison, Group I – featuring France, Senegal and Norway – carries the highest average rating of 81.8, making it the tournament’s most daunting group. Bafana’s Group A average of 74.1 is significantly more navigable.
The data does not guarantee anything. But according to Opta, South Africa have an achievable path to the knockout stages.
Photo: Daniel Hlongwane/Gallo Images
