On current form, it is only a matter of time before Bafana Bafana breaks into the top 50 in the world.

The last time Bafana got into the top 50 bracket was October 2011, when they shot up as high as 38th just a year after hosting the FIFA 2010 World Cup.

South Africa’s highest-ever world ranking was 16th in August 1996, when the team was number 1 in Africa after winning the Africa Cup of Nations.

There’s light at the end of the tunnel.

Hugo Broos’s charges will move up from 10th in Africa to ninth and, similarly, move up one place from 56th to 55th in the world, when the latest rankings are released on 18 September.

This comes on the back of a good run by South Africa’s senior national football team.

Bafana Bafana are now unbeaten in 22 matches under Hugo Broos (11 wins, 11 draws) since losing to Mali on matchday one at the Africa Cup of Nations in January.

Since then, Bafana Bafana have been on the up, including finishing on the podium—AFCON bronze medal—for the first time in 24 years.

What is also interesting to note is the points gap between South Africa and the countries ahead.

Bafana Bafana have 1 449 points in 55th spot but are only 14 points behind Slovenia, who occupy 50th spot, with 1 463 points.

Should Bafana Bafana win their FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Zimbabwe and Rwanda next month, they would close in.

They accumulated 4.47 points from the 3-0 over Lesotho and 0.89 points from the 1-1 draw with Nigeria in the World Cup qualifiers recently.

In Africa, Bafana Bafana are now within touching distance of Cameroon (1 455), Tunisia (1 483), Nigeria (1 484), and Ivory Coast (1 484).

Should Bafana Bafana not drop the ball, they are well on their way to being among the top-ranked countries in Africa and the world.