Who: South Africa vs Nigeria
What: CAF Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup 2026
Where: Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein, Free State Province, South Africa
When: Tuesday at 6 PM local time (16:00 GMT)
How to keep updated: Follow the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport starting from 13:30 GMT ahead of our live text commentary.
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Nigeria is on a mission to regain momentum in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification campaign by facing off against Group C leaders South Africa.
The Super Eagles, who have lifted the African championship trophy three times, currently sit in third place in the group. A victory on Tuesday in Bloemfontein could propel them to second and keep their World Cup hopes alive.
However, they’ll face a strong challenge as South Africa remains unbeaten at home this qualifying round, boasting wins against Benin (2-1), Zimbabwe (3-1), and Lesotho (3-0).
Here’s everything you need to know about this crucial encounter between two of Africa’s most esteemed footballing nations:
Current Standings in Group C
After seven matches, South Africa has established a significant lead over the rest of the group:
- South Africa: 16 points (+8 Goal Difference)
- Benin: 11 points (0 GD)
- Nigeria: 10 points (+2 GD)
- Rwanda: 8 points (-1 GD)
- Lesotho: 6 points (-4 GD)
- Zimbabwe: 4 points (-5 GD)
Number of African Teams Qualifying for FIFA World Cup 2026
The African World Cup qualification is divided into nine groups, each consisting of six nations.
The nine group winners will earn automatic spots in the 2026 World Cup, while the four best runners-up will enter an intercontinental playoff for a potential 10th place.
Currently, only Morocco has secured a spot for next year’s finals in North America.
CAF World Cup 2026 Qualification Timeline:
- First round (from November 15, 2023, to October 14): A group stage involving 54 teams.
- Second round (November 10-18): The top four runners-up will compete in a playoff format for a potential 10th African World Cup spot.
Can Nigeria Still Qualify for FIFA World Cup 2026?
Nigeria still has a path to the World Cup but requires favorable outcomes from other group matches.
To remain competitive, they must defeat leaders South Africa, win their final two matches against Benin and Lesotho, and hope South Africa drops points in one of their two remaining fixtures for a chance to win the group.
A tie on points at 19 would lead to a goal difference tiebreaker, and if they remain tied, head-to-head results will determine the group winner.
Should Nigeria finish in second place, they might qualify as one of the four best runners-up, which would allow them to enter the intercontinental playoff and aim for that coveted 10th World Cup spot.
Team Updates: South Africa
Head coach Hugo Broos will be without first-team defenders Nyiko Mobbie and Thabo Brendon Moloisane, both injured in the match against Lesotho. Kaizer Chiefs’ Thabiso Monyane is set to step in as a potential replacement for Mobbie.
Burnley’s Lyle Foster, who scored and assisted in the recent match, is expected to spearhead the attack against Nigeria.
Team Updates: Nigeria
Coach Eric Chelle will miss his star striker Victor Osimhen due to a chin injury sustained during a 1-0 victory over Rwanda. His absence creates a selection dilemma, with Tolu Arokodare likely to take the lead role, while Cyriel Dessers and Samuel Chukwueze are also in contention.
Moses Simon, Ademola Lookman, and Alex Iwobi could be pushed further up the pitch to enhance the attacking options without Osimhen.
South Africa’s History in FIFA World Cup Qualifications
South Africa has qualified for the FIFA World Cup finals three times: 1998, 2002, and 2010. Their last successful qualification through CAF was in 2002, while they earned an automatic spot as hosts in 2010.
Nigeria’s FIFA World Cup Track Record
Nigeria has reached the World Cup finals six times but was absent from the most recent tournament in Qatar in 2022.
When Did These Teams Last Meet in South Africa?
The last competitive encounter in South Africa between these two teams occurred during the 2019 AFCON qualifiers, where Nigeria emerged victorious with a 2-1 win.
Projected Starting Lineups
South Africa: Williams (GK); Mdunyelwa, Ndamane, Monyane, Modiba; Mokoena, Mbatha; Nkota, Mbule, Appollis; Foster
Nigeria: Nwabali (GK); Aina, Fredrick, Bassey, Onyemaechi; Onyedika, Ndidi, Iwobi; Simon; Lookman, Arokodare
Head-to-Head Record
In their 13 encounters since 2004, Nigeria has emerged victorious six times while South Africa has secured only one win, with the two teams having drawn six matches.
Last Five Matches
South Africa:
W-W-W-W-W (recent results shown)
Nigeria:
D-W-D-D-W