2025 is almost over and it’s safe to say that it was an interesting year for South Africa in many ways. We at Efirbet South Africa covered loads of intriguing news and stories around the country, but now it is time to take a look back at everything that happened. Some of the events deserve more attention, so let’s cover everything and see what you may have missed out on.
South Africa Has Qualified For the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Although this was not the first event of 2025, it is undoubtedly one of the most significant ones. The FIFA 2026 World Cup will be the most critical football competition of next year. The tournament will take place in Mexico, the USA and Canada, and South Africa will attend it.
South Africa had to take part in the qualifiers, and it was placed in Group C, where it played against the likes of Nigeria and Rwanda. It was definitely not easy, but the team made it out as the group winner after securing 18 points. South Africa ended the Group Stage with 5 victories, 3 draws and 2 losses and will represent the continent next year.
The odds for SA to win the event are extremely high because it’s not one of the favorites. However, we have seen that even the underdogs can surprise the big names at such big competitions. You really never know what’s going to happen.
2025 COSAFA Cup Took Place in South Africa
While we are on the topic of football and South Africa, we also need to mention that the 2025 COSAFA Cup also took place in the country. The tournament was between June 4-15, and it included a lot of the best football players on the continent. Even though South Africa was unable to win the trophy (Angola dominated again), we saw loads of epic matches.
An interesting fact is that South Africa hosted this tournament for the 8th consecutive time. Unlike some of the bigger competitions, this one only had 14 teams.
2025 ICC World Test Championship Victory
Moving on to another popular sport in South Africa, we have cricket. SA has always been one of the big names here, and the country proved it yet again. South Africa secured an important victory at the 2025 ICC World Test Championship Final and lifted the trophy.
It’s safe to say that this was one of the most emotional moments for sports fans in the country. The final clash was very dramatic, and in the end, the country won its first ICC trophy since 1998. The victory put an end to a 27-year drought.
We can safely say that everyone in the country was thrilled following this success. Fans will be eager to see what happens in 2026 and whether the country will continue its successful cricket run.
On the topic of cricket and impressive victory, the 2025 ICC success was not the only one. South Africa also defeated India in a test series, and they did that on their soil. The reason this success was so important is that they had to wait 25 years for it to come.
All in all, the Proteas were definitely in a league of their own in 2025. The squad proved that South Africa is one of the best cricket nations in the world.
Winning the 2025 Rugby Championship
South Africa has always been strong in cricket, but when it comes to rugby, this is definitely one of the nations that sets the tone. The Springboks continued to cement their status and the most dominant force in modern rugby because the team won the 2025 Rugby Championship title. It was definitely not a walk in the park because the squad barely made it against Argentina at Twickenham Stadium, but in the end, they succeeded.
South Africa’s success was more than just a trophy because it gave the country national pride. The Grand Final took place at one of the most important stadiums in this sport, and Argentina did everything they could to push the Springboks to their limit. Sadly for them, South Africa was able to hold firm under pressure and eventually secured the victory.
The 2025 title defense marked South Africa’s dominance in rugby after the country won the competition in 2019 and 2023. We also have to give credit to Argentina, as the country has become SA’s biggest rival over the last couple of years.
The Betting and iGaming Markets in South Africa have Surged
Outside of the sports achievements, 2025 was also a very successful year for the sports betting and iGaming industries. The sector reached new heights this year, and it’s safe to say it has evolved into one of the fastest-growing segments in the country’s economy.
According to the statistics, sports betting accounts for nearly 60.5% of the total gambling revenue. This is significant because it indicates that sports betting has surpassed the likes of casinos and lotteries. In fact, it is now the the primary source of revenue for the sector.
There are several reasons why sports betting has experienced rapid growth, and one of them is the rise of mobile betting. It is safe to say that the majority of the transactions in the online betting space are happening via smartphones and tablets, not computers. This reflects South Africa’s accelerated digital adoption, indicating that mobile devices have become the preferred gateway for people seeking to place bets.
Mobile betting is extremely convenient, enabling people to place bets wherever they are. Considering how things are going, mobile betting will continue to expand in the next couple of years.
The Potential 20% Tax on Online Gambling Revenue
The South African government began weighing a proposed 20% tax on online gambling revenue. This signaled a major policy shift in the digital betting boom.
Based on the information, the government needs the tax to increase state revenue and to discourage excessive online gambling. Of course, the new tax will tighten the profit margin for the legitimate gambling operators. This will lead to slower investments and reduce promotional activity.
