Bafana Bafana return to the World Cup for the first time since 2010, while Super Eagles must navigate CAF playoffs to keep qualification hopes alive.
South Africa became the latest African nation to book a ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a commanding 3-0 win over Rwanda, sealing top spot in Group C and leaving Nigeria to settle for second place — and a dreaded playoff route — despite a brilliant Victor Osimhen hat-trick against Benin on Tuesday.
South Africa’s qualification marks their first World Cup appearance since hosting the tournament in 2010, a milestone moment for coach Hugo Broos’s youthful side. Goals from Thalente Mbatha and Oswin Appollis in the opening 12 minutes set the tone in Mbombela, before Evidence Makgopa added a third in the second half to complete a convincing victory over Rwanda, who had already been eliminated.
The Bafana Bafana had earlier been docked three points by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for fielding an ineligible player during the qualifiers but recovered strongly to top the group, finishing ahead of Benin and Nigeria.
At the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, Nigeria produced a thrilling attacking display, needing a two-goal margin to overturn Benin’s advantage in both points and goal difference. Osimhen, the Galatasaray strikerand reigning African Footballer of the Year, scored twice in the first half and completed his hat-trick six minutes into the second half.
Despite a late strike from Frank Onyeka that made it 4-0, the Super Eagles’ effort was not enough to overtake South Africa on points, leaving Jose Peseiro’s men in second place.
Nigeria will now have to go through the CAF playoff stage, where the three best second-placed teams from the nine qualifying groups will compete in a semifinal-final knockout format. The winners will then advance to a FIFA inter-confederation playoff for a potential 10th African World Cup slot.
The playoff stage will be held between November 10 and 18, 2025.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with Africa set to feature up to ten teams for the first time in the tournament’s history.
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Reporting by Emman Tochi in Lagos, Nigeria.
