South Africa have taken a giant step towards qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating Lesotho 3-0 in Bloemfontein.
The win pushed Hugo Broos’ side to 16 points at the top of Group C, five clear of Benin Republic in second place and nine ahead of Nigeria, who sit fourth.
With just four matches left, Bafana Bafana now have a direct path to the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
The goals came from Mohau Nkota, Lyle Foster, and Oswin Appollis, sealing a dominant performance in front of their home fans, BBC reports.
FT'
— FAVOUR ITUA (@SportPaparazzi1) September 5, 2025
Lesotho 0-3 South Africa
📌 Bafana Bafana extend lead at the top of the Table to 16 points. #WCQ2026 pic.twitter.com/8Jf9wQX7z9
Coach Broos praised his Bafana Bafana players for staying focused after early injury setbacks and insisted that they have already shifted their eyes to the bigger challenge that awaits next week.
Broos eyes World Cup ticket against
Nigeria Broos was clear in his post-match comments as he insisted South Africa’s next objective is to finish the job against Nigeria and get a ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Soccernet reports.
Speaking after the Lesotho victory, Broos said his team now has everything in their hands.
“We won against Lesotho today. And now we will see next week against Nigeria,” Broos told reporters.
“If God is with us, then we can maybe qualify for the World Cup by next Tuesday. That stays as the target for us.”
The game against Nigeria is scheduled for Tuesday at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein.
A win, combined with favourable results from Rwanda and Benin’s matches, could secure Bafana Bafana’s qualification with two games to spare.
Broos also acknowledged it will not be an easy game for South Africa, but the confidence within his squad is clear.
Why Nigeria cannot afford to lose
For the Super Eagles, the road to the FIFA World Cup is far more complicated.
Nigeria have only one victory from their six matches played so far, leaving the three-time African champions on only seven points.
The poor start in the qualifiers has ensured the Super Eagles are playing catch-up as they currently sit nine points behind South Africa, although they have one game in hand.
Eric Chelle’s men will host Rwanda in Uyo on Saturday before travelling to South Africa three days later.
Nigeria is in big TROUBLE. 😭 pic.twitter.com/522McOxkGH
— POOJA!!! (@PoojaMedia) September 5, 2025
Both games are must-win matches for Nigeria if they are to keep their World Cup hopes alive, as any slip in form, even a single draw, could mean losing their ticket.
If that happens, it will be the second consecutive time the Super Eagles have failed to qualify for the World Cup, after missing out on the 2022 edition after losing the ticket to Ghana.
