Bafana Bafana have a chance to rise to the summit of Group C when they play against Benin at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday in the qualifiers for the 2026 Fifa World Cup. This after The Super Eagles were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw by Lesotho at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Nigeria on Thursday.
Nigeria may have dominated Lesotho, but they could only muster a draw after the boys from the Mountain Kingdom stole a surprise lead just after half-time with a goal from Motlomelo Mkhwanazi.
Coached by Jose Peseiro, Nigeria staged a comeback and equalised via Semi Ajayi’s header.
Bafana can steamroll to the front if they can beat Benin and register three points, something that will go a long way in Hugo Broos’ dream of taking SA to the next World Cup that will be staged in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
The South Africans will play their second group match against Rwanda on Tuesday in Butare. From CAF, the winners of the nine groups will automatically book their spot for the World Cup, with the best second-placed nations getting another chance to qualify by playing in the play-offs. Fifa used to have five spots at the World Cup, but Fifa has increased the number to 9+1.
SA last qualified for 2002
SA last qualified properly for a World Cup in 2002 for the Korea/Japan edition. They took part in the 2010 edition, the first on African soil, by virtue of being hosts. So, if they grab the opportunity in Durban, they could set the tone in the group and give favourites Nigeria a run for their money.
News coming from the Bafana camp are that the team is upbeat about scoring a victory and the players are calling for supporters to arrive in large numbers.
Said senior player and goalkeeper Veli Mothwa: “It is important for the team to qualify because we did not make it to the last World Cup and now, we want to go play in the next tournament. The preparations are good so far, and I am confident that we will be in the World Cup in 2026.”
“The KZN supporters needed this game, and we are bringing it to them. I know they are going to come out in large numbers to support Bafana because it has been a long time since they last saw the team play at Moses Mabhida.
“For us, and most of the time, we normally play when there are few supporters or less supporters. Fans play a big role for us; they love us and their support makes it easier to win the matches. So, I invite all the fans to come and see the kind of impact they have on the team,” he added.
