South Africa head coach Hugo Broos has revealed that his side will hope to secure their spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a win against Nigeria in their next match.
Bafana Bafana can qualify for next year’s tournament with a win over the Super Eagles next Tuesday in Bloemfontein.
They recorded a convincing 3-0 victory over Lesotho on Friday, to increase their lead at the top of Group C to five points ahead of Benin Republic, with three matches remaining to play.
Mohau Nkota opened the scoring in the first half, while Lyle Foster added a second just after the hour mark.
Oswin Appollis netted a third in the 67th minute of the clash, as South Africa moved a step closer to a first World Cup appearance since 2010.
However, Nigeria and Rwanda both clash on Saturday meaning their lead could be reduced further ahead of their meeting with the Super Eagles next week.
After the match, Hugo Broos spoke to reporters and is in high spirits about his team’s chances of reaching the 2026 tournament.
“We won against Lesotho today. And now we will see next week against Nigeria,” Broos said after the win.
“If God is with us, then we can maybe qualify for the World Cup by next Tuesday, and that stays as the target for us.
“We are in a good situation, we have everything in our own hands, so it’s up to us to now finish it.”
What does South Africa win mean for Nigeria?
South Africa have moved to 16 points on the group and are currently nine points ahead of Nigeria, who have four matches remaining.
The Super Eagles have found themselves in a precarious position and must now win all their remaining matches and hope South Africa drop points.
They must first defeat Rwanda on Saturday and must win their clash against Bafana Bafana next Tuesday.
However, they can still qualify by finishing second, but will have to navigate a tough playoff path to reach the World Cup.
