South Africa returns to the FIFA World Cup in 2026, returning to the tournament for the first time since hosting the competition in 2010.
However, as fans follow Bafana Bafana's campaign, some may be confused by seeing the country listed as “RSA” rather than simply “SA” on scoreboards, standings and official FIFA graphics.
Here's the background on why South Africa's official country code is RSA.
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Why is South Africa RSA?
RSA is the official abbreviation of South Africa as it is derived from the country's full constitutional name, Republic of South Africa.
Because of that, RSA is the code used by FIFA and many other international sports organizations. Although some football fans may expect South Africa to be abbreviated “SA”, the country's official sporting identity has long been RSA.
This abbreviation is not unique to football. South Africa competes as RSA in several international sports, including rugby, cricket and the Olympic Games.
Where is South Africa?
South Africa is located at the southernmost tip of Africa. The country borders Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Eswatini, while it also completely surrounds the Independent State of Lesotho.
With a population of over 63 million people, South Africa is one of the largest countries on the continent. It is one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world, recognizing 12 official languages, including Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English.
South Africa is participating in the 2026 World Cup for the fourth time in its history. Bafana Bafana had previously qualified for the tournament in 1998, 2002 and 2010, when they became the first African nation to host the FIFA World Cup.
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