Here’s how long you need to work to buy a Bafana Bafana jersey

South Africans need about 1.3 days of work to afford an official Bafana Bafana World Cup jersey, according to a new global affordability index; for those who can’t stretch to the entry-level R1,599 price tag, alternatives are emerging.

This comes as workers are seeing their purchasing power shrink, although official supplier Adidas is offering Buy Now, Pay Later options on fan merchandise. Sportsman’s Warehouse’s offering comes in at almost a grand more, while another Adidas offering is listed at a similar price point.

The World Cup Shirt Index 2026, compiled by Gambling.com, compares the official retail price of every home kit at the 2026 tournament against average monthly wages in each of the 48 qualified nations.

It found that South Africa’s shirt costs the equivalent of about 1.3 days of labour based on average wage levels and that the gap between the most and least affordable shirts in the tournament is more than 90-fold.

Unlucky

A supporter in the Democratic Republic of Congo needs about 29 days of work to buy a national team shirt, while a fan in Switzerland needs just two hours and 20 minutes. Seven of the ten least affordable shirts in the tournament belong to African nations.

While South Africa sits in the middle of the global rankings, local consumers are under growing financial pressure.

The latest PayInc Net Salary Index found that the average nominal net salary declined to R21,228 in April, while inflation-adjusted earnings fell 2.7% year-on-year to R20,244 – the lowest real salary level recorded in two years.

The study also found that official replica kit prices have continued to climb since the 2022 World Cup. Nike replica shirts retail at £89.99 (R1,900), Adidas shirts at £84.99 (R1,851) and Puma shirts from £76.99 (R1,700).

Across Nike’s World Cup roster, replica pricing has increased by an average of 16.7% since Qatar 2022, while Puma prices have risen by 25%.

Pain coming

The South African Reserve Bank on Thursday warned that the country’s fragile economic recovery was under pressure from higher global uncertainty and weaker disposable incomes, cutting its growth forecasts for the next two years.

This comes as inflation is expected to rise, and another rate hike may be on the cards due to second-round inflationary effects from higher fuel and food prices. The prime lending rate increased to 10.5% from 10.25% on Thursday.

“Amid pressure on food prices, we forecast headline inflation averaging 4.4% this year and 3.7% next year. We see inflation returning to the 3% target in 2028,” the central bank said.

For supporters unwilling or unable to spend R1,599, alternatives are available.

Mr Price is stocking a replica of the iconic 1996 Africa Cup of Nations Bafana jersey – the kit from the country’s most successful side – for R299, offering both a budget option and a dose of nostalgia.

Other Bafana designs, including bright yellow and gold versions, are also available in-store. China-based online marketplaces such as Temu offer football-inspired apparel at similarly low prices: as little as R240.

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