Bafana Bafana’s height shortcomings exposed on World Cup stage

by Staff Bona
Bafana Bafana may have a height disadvantage.

Height clearly is not everything, but Bafana rank among the smallest squads at the 2026 edition of the competition.

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How Bafana Bafana’s height plays a factor

With an average height of just 178.8cm, South Africa is officially the second-shortest of all 48 nations at the tournament.

Only Saudi Arabia, at 178.7cm, has a shorter average squad height than Bafana Bafana. At the opposite end of the scale, Norway and Bosnia and Herzegovina share top spot as the tallest national squads in the competition, with an average height of 187.2cm – more than eight centimetres taller than South Africa.

Sweden completes the top three at 186.2cm, followed by Belgium (185.8cm) and Czechia (185.7cm). European nations dominate the upper reaches of the list, with Germany, Switzerland, France and the Netherlands all featuring inside the top ten.

Also see: Bafana fights back to hold Czechia level

Africa’s nations are scattered across the rankings. Tunisia led the continent in 12th place at 184.6cm, with Senegal (15th, 184.0cm) and Morocco (25th, 182.7cm) also placing inside the top half. Ghana, Algeria, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Cape Verde and DR Congo all sit in the bottom half of the table, while South Africa props up the African contingent entirely.

The data offers an interesting subplot heading into South Africa’s must-win clash with South Korea, a side ranked 29th at 181.9cm – still nearly three centimetres taller on average than Bafana Bafana.

Originally published by Soccermag.

Also see: Ronwen Williams calls for unity ahead of crucial Bafana clash 

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