Bafana Bafana on the Brink of World Cup Qualification
JOHANNESBURG – Bafana Bafana are just one win away from securing their place at next year’s World Cup. The national team’s ticket to the global showpiece could be secured as early as Tuesday when they host rivals Nigeria in Bloemfontein. A victory for Hugo Broos’ side would not only be a major achievement for the team but would also mark the first time since 2002 that Bafana have qualified for a World Cup through the official qualification pathway.
The team’s recent performance has put them in a dominant position in their group. Bafana’s convincing 3-0 win over Lesotho at Free State Stadium on Friday saw them extend their lead at the top of Group C by a comfortable five points. They have managed to keep their trailers—Benin (on 11 points), Rwanda, and Nigeria—at arm's length, with only two qualifiers left to play. Should Bafana defeat the Super Eagles on Tuesday, they would secure an unassailable lead in the group, effectively ending Nigeria’s hopes of automatic qualification.
🇿🇦 South Africa moves one step closer to the #FIFAWorldCup! pic.twitter.com/yELKRD14XN
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) September 5, 2025
Only the winners of the nine Confederation of African Football (CAF) groups will automatically qualify for the World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The four best runners-up from these groups will then have a chance to compete for a single spot in the Fifa play-off tournament.
Explainer | Fifa play-off
The play-off tournament features six teams, who will compete for the final two places at the World Cup. It will involve two teams from the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) and one side each from CAF, the Asian Football Confederation, the South American Football Confederation (Conmebol), and the Oceania Football Confederation. This tournament is scheduled to take place in March 2026.
The Stars Are Aligning for Bafana
The current campaign feels different for South African fans, who experienced heartbreak when the team was controversially eliminated by Ghana during the 2022 World Cup qualifiers. However, this time, the stars seem to be aligning. The team's journey so far has drawn parallels to their successful 2002 campaign.
Under coach Carlos Queiroz, Bafana had an impressive run, easing past Lesotho in the preliminary qualifying round and then winning five of six matches in a group that also included Zimbabwe. In the current campaign, Bafana have already won five of their seven matches leading up to the crucial fixture against Nigeria. After Tuesday’s match, South Africa will still have to host Rwanda—the only side to have beaten them in the group—next month, and they will end the qualifying round with an away fixture against Zimbabwe.
Morocco Leads Africa's Charge to the World Cup
While Bafana Bafana are on the verge of qualification, Morocco has already made history. The Atlas Lions, who were semi-finalists at the last World Cup in Qatar, have become the first African nation to secure their spot in the next edition of the tournament in North America. They booked their place with a dominant 5-0 home victory over Niger on Friday.
Following Morocco’s lead, Bafana Bafana, Egypt (who beat Ethiopia 2-0 on Friday), and Algeria could be next in line to claim one of the nine automatic slots reserved for Africa at next year's global showpiece.
South America's Qualification is Complete
The race for qualification in South America has concluded, with all six of the region's slots filled. The continent’s football powerhouses—Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Uruguay, and Paraguay—all secured their tickets over the weekend. With Fifa increasing the number of participating teams from 32 to 48 for the next World Cup, South America was allocated two more automatic slots, bringing their total to six.
The qualification of Colombia and Paraguay is particularly notable as they will be returning to the global stage after failing to qualify for the 2022 tournament. Meanwhile, Chile and Venezuela were unsuccessful in their campaigns. The other four qualified teams—Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, and Uruguay—were all present at the Qatar tournament.
Messi's Fond Farewell
A major talking point during the South American qualifiers was the fond farewell of Argentina’s captain, Lionel Messi. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner played his last match for his country, inspiring Argentina to a 3-0 win over Venezuela in Buenos Aires on Friday with a two-goal performance. His brace moved him into a tie for second place, alongside Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, on the list of all-time leading goal-scorers in World Cup qualifying matches, with 36 goals.
Europe’s Journey Has Just Begun
In contrast to the African and South American continents, Europe's qualification journey has only just begun. Many of the European powerhouses were busy with the Uefa Nations League finals, which started late last year and finished earlier this year. As a result, the Union of European Football Associations (Uefa) only began the World Cup qualifiers in March, with the competition expected to conclude in March of next year. Half of Europe’s 12 qualifying groups started their campaign in March, while the remaining groups only began this week. The World Cup is scheduled to be played from 11 June to 19 July next year.
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