Bafana Bafana have bolstered their prospects of securing a berth at the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals with a pivotal 3-1 victory over Zimbabwe in Bloemfontein this past Tuesday.
Positioned in Group C alongside favourites Nigeria, the South Africans have embarked on a promising campaign so far, amassing two wins from four matches, placing them second in the group with seven points, behind Rwanda on goal difference.
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The recent fixtures have been a test of resilience and strategy for the team, managing a 1-1 draw away in Uyo against Nigeria followed by a triumph over the Warriors in the Free State. Thanks to the Super Eagles not being able to pick up a win in four matches, Bafana's loss away to Rwanda has not been as costly as it could have been.
With no World Cup qualifying matches scheduled for the remainder of the year, the focus shifts to the upcoming challenges in March next year when the qualifiers resume.
Looking ahead, Bafana will host Southern African neighbors Lesotho in March 2025 and will later face Benin before traveling to Maseru for the return fixture against Lesotho in September. That same week, they will confront the Super Eagles of Nigeria at home, followed by an away game against Zimbabwe in October, and concluding their qualifying campaign at home against Rwanda.
Other than their active participation in the 2010 Fifa World Cup as hosts, Bafana Bafana have not qualified outright for the tournament since the 2002 edition in Korea/Japan under former coach Carlos Queiroz.
However, the current dynamics within the team and their recent performances suggest there is an opportunity to make history. Coach Hugo Broos, while cautious, acknowledges the significance of the upcoming matches.
"It's still a long way to go, certainly there are six games to play so there's a lot to lose but also a lot to win. For the moment, I think we're on schedule when we win the games at home which is very important," said Broos.
"So, let's go on like this and if we can go on like this then there's a big chance we'll qualify also," Broos told SABC Sport in the post-match briefing.
The team's recent form has been encouraging, maintaining a five-match unbeaten streak and recovering strongly since their defeat to Nigeria on penalties in the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations in February.
This resilience and growing confidence could be pivotal as they aim to travel to North America 2026.
Bafana still have a good opportunity to top the group, probably needing to beat Rwanda in South Africa, while the home and away results against Benin could also be key.
However, if Bafana are eventually pipped to top spot, they can still keep their hopes alive if they are one of the four best second-placed teams in Africa based on total points.
These four will then participate in a mini Caf tournament where the winner from there will then proceed to the FIFA Play-Off Tournament where six teams from various continents (Concacaf, AFC, CAF, CONMEBOL and OFC) will compete for two World Cup spots.
Bafana's Remaining Fixtures
Lesotho - March 2025 - Home
Benin - March 2025 - Away
Lesotho - September 2025 - Away
Nigeria - September 2025 - Home
Zimbabwe - October 2025 - Away
Rwanda - October 2025 - Home
*Official dates yet to be confirmed.
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