Bafana Bafana are in a promising position to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Having finished their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign unbeaten, Hugo Broos and his team will resume their World Cup qualifiers in March next year against Lesotho. Their last qualifying match resulted in a 3-1 victory over Zimbabwe in June, placing them seven points in Group C.
Bafana, Benin and Rwanda all are in seven points after four rounds of matches played in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers. A positive aspect of their campaign is that they (SA) managed to secure a draw away against Nigeria. Although Nigeria has struggled in these qualifiers, many expect them to recover when the qualifying rounds resume next year.
What are Bafana’s chances of qualifying for 2026 World Cup
With the upcoming match against Lesotho, Bafana must collect three points. Infact, six points against the Crocodiles and another six against Zimbabwe should be enough to see them through.
Rwanda has performed well, so they may pose a challenge, but playing at home should give South Africa an advantage in that match. The most challenging fixture for Bafana will likely be the away game against Benin. The West African team showed Nigeria flames and might be tough to beat at home. With six matches remaining, the situation is still fluid, but Nigeria and Zimbabwe are increasingly less likely to qualify.
Bafana play Lesotho next in the World Cup qualifying rounds in March, followed by a critical match against Benin that could determine whether we might need calculators or not.
How many points will Bafana Bafana need?
Out of a possible 30 points, South Africa needs at least 20 points from their ten matches to qualify. The 1996 Afcon champions currently have seven points, leaving 18 still available. Given the strength of the teams in Group C, 20 points should suffice if Bafana can defeat both Benin and Nigeria.
With six points almost guaranteed against Lesotho, a draw against either Rwanda or Zimbabwe should not significantly harm their prospects. Bafana’s path to the 2026 World Cup doesn’t require complex calculations: winning four out of their remaining six matches should secure their qualification.
Which games should Bafana target?
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