Bafana Bafana Finish World Cup With Unwanted Disciplinary Record

• Bafana Bafana's World Cup campaign ended with an unwanted record after their run in the knockout stages
• South Africa's disciplinary numbers stood out despite Hugo Broos' side playing fewer matches than several rivals
• The final fair play standings reveal a sharp contrast between Bafana Bafana and their African rivals

Bafana Bafana finished with the joint-worst disciplinary record at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after their campaign ended in the knockout stages. South Africa's card tally left Hugo Broos' men level with Paraguay on 13 disciplinary points.

The figures put Bafana at the wrong end of the tournament's fair play table despite playing only four matches.

Bafana Bafana's World Cup card tally adds up

Soccer Laduma reported on 8 July that South Africa's disciplinary record "does not make good reading for Bafana Bafana". Themba Zwane and Sphephelo Sithole received straight red cards during the tournament.

Bafana also collected five yellow cards. Teboho Mokoena was booked twice, while Nkosinathi Sibisi, Thalente Mbatha and Aubrey Modiba also saw yellow. Under the fair play scoring system, a yellow card counts as one disciplinary point and a direct red as four.

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That takes South Africa's total to 13 points.

South Africa share unwanted World Cup ranking

Transfermarkt's World Cup fair play table places Bafana level with Paraguay on 13 points. Paraguay collected nine yellow cards and one red card.

The contrast with Tunisia is significant. The North African side finished with just one disciplinary point after receiving a single yellow card.

Bafana Bafana leave World Cup with contrasting numbers

Bafana's disciplinary ranking comes after a World Cup campaign in which Broos' side reached the knockout stages. However, five yellow cards and two red cards ensured South Africa also left their mark on another tournament table.

The numbers place Bafana alongside Paraguay with the highest disciplinary points total recorded at the tournament so far.

Three Bafana Bafana stars crack World Cup top 10 lists

Briefly News also reported that three Bafana Bafana stars are still flying the Mzansi flag in the World Cup rankings despite South Africa's Round of 32 exit.

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Bafana Bafana duo named among the best in their positions at 2026 FIFA World Cup

Khuliso Mudau and Evidence Makgopa cracked the top five in key tournament statistics, while Mbekezeli Mbokazi secured a place in the top 10.

Source: Briefly News