Coach Hugo Broos’ side are currently at number 54, their best placing since they were at 52 in January 2015.
It is reward for a solid World Cup campaign to date, in which they also claimed a draw against the Czech Republic (48) and beat the Koreans (31).
They face Canada in the round of 32, who are one place below South Korea and a team of similar profile.
The South African Football Association have long said their target is to have Bafana in the top 30 in the world and top three in Africa, something that could be achievable and where they have been before.
Bafana’s highest-ever ranking is 16th in August 1996 in the wake of their triumph in the Africa Cup of Nations that year.
South Africa were last in the top 50 in the world in 2011, some 15 years ago. Victory over Canada could see them rise that high, given the weighting of World Cup finals matches for ranking points.
Bafana’s lowest-ever ranking was 124th in their very first year back in international football in 1992. They rose quickly and entered the top 100 in September 1993, never to fall outside it again.