South Africa takes Bafana Bafana, Super Eagles 2026 World Cup qualifier to Free State Stadium

South Africa has taken the potential 2026 World Cup ticket decider against Nigeria to the Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein.
The match will hold on September 9 with the winner likely to have done enough to pick the Group C ticket of the 2026 World Cup African qualifying series.
The match will be played just a few days after Bafana face Lesotho in an “away” qualifier at the same venue on September 5.
South Africa have the edge in the race to the World Cup as they lead Group C with 13 points from five matches to Rwanda and Benin’s eight and Nigeria’s seven.
But Nigeria are hoping on FIFA’s decision on the South Africa versus Lesotho game in March in which the Bafana Bafana fielded an ineligible Teboho Mokoena. If, as expected, FIFA ducks three points from the South Africans, it will make the game on September 9 hugely important as the winner could assume leadership of the group going into the last two matches.
The top teams from nine African groups qualify for the first 48-team World Cup in Mexico, Canada and the US, with four best runners-up going into playoffs for one more place.
The Super Eagles held the South Africans to a 1-1 draw when they met in Uyo last year.