South Africa have qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time since hosting the event in 2010, after topping their group with a decisive 3-0 victory over Rwanda at the Mbombela Stadium on Tuesday. The win saw them edge past Nigeria and Benin in a tightly contested Group C race.
Benin, who were chasing their first-ever World Cup appearance, entered the final round of matches leading the group by two points ahead of South Africa and three clear of Nigeria. However, their hopes were dashed after suffering a crushing 4-0 defeat to the Super Eagles in Uyo, where Victor Osimhen netted a brilliant hat-trick. The heavy loss pushed Benin down to third place on goal difference, just below Nigeria.
South Africa seized the opportunity, taking full advantage with a commanding performance against Rwanda. Thalente Mbatha opened the scoring in the fifth minute, Oswin Appollis added a second midway through the first half, and Evidence Makgopa sealed the victory with a header in the 72nd minute.
With this triumph, Bafana Bafana became the seventh African nation to secure a place in the expanded 48-team World Cup, joining Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Ghana, and Cape Verde.
The team will feel a huge sense of relief after narrowly avoiding elimination due to a FIFA sanction earlier this month, which saw them lose a 3-0 win over Lesotho for fielding an ineligible player. That decision temporarily dropped them from first to second in the group standings, just behind Benin.
Despite a frustrating 1-1 draw with bottom-placed Zimbabwe in Durban last Friday, results elsewhere favored Hugo Broos’ side, allowing them to clinch qualification with their emphatic win over Rwanda.
Meanwhile, two more African teams — either Senegal or DR Congo from Group B, and Ivory Coast or Gabon from Group F — are expected to secure the remaining automatic qualification spots later on Tuesday.
For Nigeria, the World Cup dream is not over yet. The Super Eagles can still qualify through a more challenging route, which involves four additional matches. Their 4-0 victory over Benin was enough to earn a place in next month’s African play-offs. The winners of those play-offs will advance to FIFA’s intercontinental qualification round scheduled for March next year, where the final two World Cup berths will be decided.
Victor Osimhen’s outstanding performance has revived Nigeria’s campaign and hopes of reaching the finals. The Napoli striker’s hat-trick against Benin reminded fans of his importance to the team, which had struggled during his absence due to injury.
Nigeria’s journey through the qualifiers has been turbulent, marked by coaching changes and inconsistent form. Under Jose Peseiro, they managed only draws against Lesotho and Zimbabwe. His successor, Finidi George, secured a point against South Africa but left after a defeat to Benin. New coach Eric Chelle revived hopes with wins over Rwanda and Lesotho but couldn’t prevent a late setback against Zimbabwe.
Still, Osimhen’s return transformed the team. He struck early against Benin, adding two more goals before halftime, and completed his hat-trick with a diving header just after the break. Frank Onyeka sealed the 4-0 victory in stoppage time.
Now, Nigeria’s focus shifts to the crucial play-offs next month. Keeping Osimhen fit and firing will be vital if the Super Eagles hope to book their place at the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.