South Africa head coach, Hugo Broos has outlined the points tally he believes will secure Bafana Bafana’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup ahead of Nigeria.
While the Super Eagles are under pressure to turn their fortunes around after a poor start to the qualifiers, South Africa finds themselves in a more comfortable position as they prepare for the next set of fixtures.
Nigeria, currently fifth in Group C, are yet to secure a win after four matchdays, recording three draws and one loss in a highly competitive group featuring Rwanda, Benin, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Lesotho.
Decisive Fixtures Ahead
As Nigeria prepare to take on Rwanda and Zimbabwe in March Bafana Bafana will host Lesotho and Broos remains confident in their ability to pick up important points.
Broos’ Qualification Formula
In a recent interview, Hugo Broos highlighted the significance of the March qualifiers, stating that winning their next two matches would bring South Africa closer to the 17 points he believes will be enough to qualify ahead of Nigeria.
“We now have seven points, and then I count six (in March), it’s 13. And then we have four games, which tally up to 12 points. I think if you have 16-17 points, you have qualified,” Broos said in an interview shared by African Football.
He also acknowledged that all teams are still in contention and that the March fixtures could determine which sides remain in the race.
“All the teams are still in the running. Therefore, March can be a key month, and things will be a little bit clearer.”
“And then after that, we can say, for example, Rwanda is out. Again, that’s why it’s very important to win the two games (against Lesotho and Benin),” he added.
Current Standings & Nigeria’s Challenge
Rwanda currently leads Group C with seven points, ahead of South Africa and Benin on goal difference.
Lesotho sits fourth with five points, while Nigeria remain fifth with just three, and Zimbabwe are bottom with two.
To revive their World Cup hopes, Nigeria have enlisted Malian coach Éric Chelle to help guide them through the crucial March qualifiers.
With back-to-back World Cup absences at stake, the Super Eagles must secure wins against Rwanda and Zimbabwe to stay in contention.
