It is almost a week since the 2026 Fifa World Cup concluded, and former Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns star Josta Dladla has shared some of his best moments from the historic global showpiece.
What made this World Cup historic is that for the first time, 48 teams were participating, including 10 spots for African countries.
The World Cup was also co-hosted in three countries for the first time, with Mexico, Canada and the US hosting millions of people on their shores.
‘Memorable moments’
Despite the competition creating a lot of debates and controversies, it also had some memorable moments, such as nine of the 10 African countries advancing to the knockout rounds.
Debutants Cape Verde were arguably the standout African team when they took defending champions Argentina all the way to extra time and dug deep for their 3-2 win in the Round of 32.
Bafana Bafana also etched their names in the history books of the competition when they progressed out of the group stages for the first time upon their return to the World Cup stage 16 years later.
“Firstly, big ups to Bafana for qualifying for the World Cup since 2002 and not having to be the hosts to participate in the competition. So, we must give credit to the team because they did amazing things.
“At some point, they did not believe fully in what they could achieve, because had they done so, they could have attained more than what they did.
“So, congratulations to Bafana Bafana. We also need to give credit to Cape Verde and all the other nine African nations that qualified for the knockout round of the World Cup,” Dladla told Sunday World during a Lays World Cup final watch party between Spain and Argentina.
Building on the spirit of Lay’s opening match celebration in Johannesburg, the finale watch party invited fans not to relive history, but to witness it being made in real time.
Shared excitement
From the opening whistle to the final kick, guests celebrated every moment together, sharing the excitement, anticipation and emotion that only football can inspire.
“Tonight [Sunday] was the perfect way to close out our 2026 Fifa World Cup journey,” said Bongumesiya Simelane, Assistant Brand Manager for Lay’s South Africa.
“We began this tournament in Johannesburg celebrating a significant chapter in football history, and we’re ending it in the same city, surrounded by fans who truly embraced what this campaign has always been about football and every unforgettable moment that comes with it.”
“From the opening match to tonight’s final whistle, we’ve watched fans unite through shared emotion, unforgettable memories and, of course, shared snacks. That’s the heart of ‘No Lay’s, No Game’. Football’s greatest moments are made even more special by the people you experience them with,” Simelane added.
Spain came out victorious after 120 minutes, when they broke Argentinian hearts with a 1-0 win, courtesy of a solitary goal by Ferran Torres in the 106th minute to be crowned world champions for the second time in their history.
- The 2026 FIFA World Cup was historic with 48 teams participating and co-hosted by Mexico, Canada, and the US.
- Nine of the 10 African teams advanced to the knockout rounds, with Cape Verde notably pushing defending champions Argentina to extra time.
- South Africa's Bafana Bafana advanced from the group stages for the first time in 16 years, marking a significant achievement.
- Lay’s hosted celebratory watch parties in Johannesburg, highlighting football’s uniting spirit and memorable moments throughout the tournament.
- Spain won the tournament, defeating Argentina 1-0 in extra time to claim their second World Cup title.
It is almost a week since the 2026 Fifa World Cup concluded, and former Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi
What made this World Cup historic is that for the first time, 48 teams were participating, including 10 spots for African countries.
Despite the competition creating a lot of debates and controversies, it also had some memorable moments, such as nine of the 10 African countries advancing to the knockout rounds.
Debutants Cape Verde were arguably the standout African team when they took defending champions Argentina all the way to extra time and dug deep for their 3-2 win in the
Bafana Bafana also etched their names in the history books of the competition when they progressed out of the group stages for the first time upon their return to the World Cup stage 16 years later.
“Firstly, big ups to Bafana for qualifying for the World Cup since 2002 and not having to be the hosts to participate in the competition. So, we must give credit to the team because they did amazing things.
“At some point, they did not believe fully in what they could achieve, because had they done so, they could have attained more than what they did.
“So, congratulations to Bafana Bafana. We also need to give credit to Cape Verde and all the other nine African nations that qualified for the knockout round of the World Cup,”
From the opening whistle to the final kick, guests celebrated every moment together, sharing the excitement, anticipation and emotion that only football can inspire.
“Tonight [
“We began this tournament in Johannesburg celebrating a significant chapter in football history, and we're ending it in the same city, surrounded by fans who truly embraced what this campaign has always been about football and every unforgettable moment that comes with it."
“From the opening match to tonight's final whistle, we've watched fans unite through shared emotion, unforgettable memories and, of course, shared snacks.
Spain came out victorious after 120 minutes, when they broke Argentinian hearts with a 1-0 win, courtesy of a solitary goal by Ferran Torres in the 106th minute to be crowned world champions for the second time in their history.
