South Africa showed up. Bafana Bafana showed up. And last week, the Virgin Bet VIP Watch Party at Time Out Market Cape Town showed up too – loudly, proudly, and in full green and gold. As the nation tuned in for the reverse fixture of the iconic 2010 FIFA World Cup opener at Estadio Azteca, exactly 16 years after Siphiwe Tshabalala’s goal united a nation, football fans, media, influencers and competition winners packed into Time Out Market Cape Town for a memorable evening. Hosted by broadcaster and sports personality Clint Roper, guests – including football legend Eric Tinkler – enjoyed big screen action, drinks, giveaways and the shared excitement of watching Bafana Bafana together.
Now Virgin Bet South Africa is doing it all again, with an exclusive invitation for Bafana’s next group-stage clash.
Bafana Bafana’s second group stage match is against Czechia, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, and it’s a match that matters enormously. Both teams will be looking to build Group A momentum coming off their opening fixtures, and for South Africa, a strong result here could be the difference between a historic progression to the Round of 32 and an early exit. Czechia and South Africa have no previous history at the FIFA World Cup, making this a first-ever meeting between the two nations on the tournament stage – and with Bafana’s captain Ronwen Williams marshalling the defence and Lyle Foster leading the attack, there is every reason to believe this could be the night South Africa announces itself to the world.
Czechia are no pushovers. Led by captain Ladislav Krejčí and with Bayer Leverkusen striker Patrik Schick as their primary goalscoring threat, they qualified for their first FIFA World Cup™ in 20 years the hard way – through two penalty shootout victories in the play-offs. They’ll be hungry, and so will Bafana.
Please note: this is an invite-only VIP event. Entry is strictly limited to guests who have won tickets via the Virgin Bet South Africa Instagram competition, and walk-ins cannot be accommodated on the night.
Win VIP tickets
For your chance to win VIP tickets to the Virgin Bet Watch Party on 18 June, head to this post on Virgin Bet South Africa’s Instagram and follow the entry instructions.
For more on Virgin Bet’s World Cup Watch Party series, visit the dedicated landing page, which will be updated with further details as they become available.
Event details: Kick-off: 18:00 CAT, Thursday 18 June 2026 | Venue: Time Out Market Cape Town | Access: VIP invite-only
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About Time Out Market Cape Town
Time Out Market Cape Town is Africa’s first Time Out Market, located in the historic Old Power Station building at the V&A Waterfront. Home to Cape Town’s top chefs and a vibrant communal dining experience, it is one of the Mother City’s most celebrated food and cultural destinations.