Despite a dominant 4–0 win over Benin, Nigeria will settle for a place in the CAF playoffs as South Africa secure automatic qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
South Africa have sealed their return to the FIFA World Cup after a decisive 3–0 victory over Rwanda on Tuesday, confirming their top position in Group C of the CAF qualifiers. The result means Nigeria, despite a Victor Osimhen-inspired win over Benin, will have to navigate the playoff route to book their ticket to the global showpiece.
The Super Eagles entered the final group game in Uyo trailing Benin by three points and needing a big win to overturn the goal difference. Their talismanic forward, Victor Osimhen, delivered exactly that—scoring a brilliant hat-trick to put Nigeria ahead by halftime at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium.
The Galatasaray striker completed his treble six minutes into the second half, before Brentford’s Frank Onyeka added a stoppage-time goal to make it 4–0. The emphatic result lifted Nigeria to second place but fell short of surpassing South Africa’s superior goal record.
Meanwhile, in Mbombela, South Africa wasted no time asserting their dominance. Early goals from Thalente Mbatha and Oswin Appollis put Bafana Bafana in control within 12 minutes, before Evidence Makgopa sealed the win in the second half.
The triumph marks South Africa’s first World Cup qualification since 2010, when they participated as hosts. It also represents a significant milestone for the team under coach Hugo Broos, who has prioritized youth development and local league integration in rebuilding the squad.
Nigeria, on the other hand, will now join the three best runners-up across the nine CAF qualifying groups in the playoff round. The playoff semifinals and finals are scheduled for November 10–18, with the winners advancing to an inter-confederation playoff for Africa’s potential 10th World Cup slot.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, featuring an expanded format with 48 teams — the largest in the tournament’s history.
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