Bafana Bafana has a significant advantage heading into the September FIFA World Cup qualifiers, as they’ll play both of their upcoming home matches at Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein.
Their first game is against Lesotho on 5 September, and their second match is against Nigeria’s Super Eagles four days later. Both games are scheduled for 18:00.
Bafana Bafana will avoid international travel because Lesotho’s home games are held in South Africa, as their stadiums do not meet CAF and FIFA standards. This means Bafana Bafana will have a home-ground advantage for both crucial matches.
According to a statement from the South African Football Association (SAFA):
- Tickets for the Lesotho match will be communicated by the Lesotho Football Association at a later stage.
- Tickets for the Nigeria match will be available in three phases:
- Phase One (starting August 2) is available only at Toyota Stadium, priced at R70 for adults and R40 for children under 12.
- Phase Two (starting 9 August ) will be available nationally at all Ticketpro Outlets for R100.
- Phase Three (starting August 16) for the Grand Stand area will cost R150 and be available at select retailers like Spar, SuperSpar, Postnet, and various garages.
Currently, Bafana Bafana leads Group C of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers with 13 points after six matches. They are followed by Rwanda and Benin, both on eight points. Nigeria is fourth with seven points, Lesotho has six, and Zimbabwe has four.
Securing six points from these two matches would significantly boost Bafana Bafana’s chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The last time the team qualified for a World Cup was in 2002 that was co-hosted in Korea and Japan.