Bafana Bafana's 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign is one that should not need calculators, but the national team certainly does love giving the country a heart attack or two, don't they?
This is it. This is the campaign that should lead Bafana Bafana to World Cup qualification for the first time since 2002. Everything worked in their favour. Nigeria, probably the biggest threat, drew their first two matches in the group. Are you kidding me? Four points dropped by the Super Eagles? That should inspire anyone to go out there and get maximum points to make the qualifying campaign a little easier.
I was already seeing it. Bafana Bafana top of the table on six points and Nigeria a bit further down on two. But, it was not to be. As things stand, after the defeat to Rwanda on Tuesday, Bafana are just a point ahead of the Super Eagles and it could be another campaign where we are on the edge of our seats with fingers crossed that we make it. At some point, that should stop because I don't know if we all have the heart to keep going through failed qualifying campaigns and using calculators.
Granted, the pitch in Rwanda was not great, but the defending for both goals that were conceded was not good at all. It no doubt could have been a whole lot better and Bafana could have done a bit more to put the Rwandans under pressure on the day. Now, it's three points gone and we are probably going to have to do things the hard way again, which does not always end well for Bafana.
I have my fingers crossed that this World Cup qualifying campaign will not have the drama of old. Bafana Bafana need to be playing at the World Cup in 2026, especially with more spots available for African countries.
Failure means we have to go back to the drawing board and rebuild. We've done enough rebuilding with the national team. It surely is time for the team to start playing at major competitions a lot more and competing with the top dogs of African football. The time is definitely now.
With the remaining matches in the group, Bafana have little room for error and they are going to have to make sure that they get positive results against Nigeria to take charge of the group, while the home matches against the likes of Rwanda and Lesotho also important in getting us to the World Cup.
I've never been to a World Cup outside of South Africa. Can Bafana qualify so that I can pack my bags and go to the Americas? Pretty please!
Is Hugo Broos the right man to take Bafana Bafana to the 2026 FIFA World Cup? Find out what Mzansi thinks by listening in the podcast player below!
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