Trailing Benin by two log points in Group C of the CAF section of World Cup qualifiers, and needing a favour from Nigeria against the group-toppers, the odds of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup weren’t entirely in Bafana Bafana’s favour.

Prior to the final qualifier against Rwanda on Tuesday, October 14, South Africa had not qualified for a World Cup without being hosts in over 20 years, and had not appeared in a World Cup since the 2010 edition hosted on home soil.

But, in a pre-match conference on Monday, captain Ronwen Williams declared his belief in fairy tales, and along with coach Hugo Broos, emphasised the team’s belief in their ability to secure qualification on Tuesday night at Mbombela Stadium.

With much of their fate relying on what transpired in Uyo, Nigeria, Bafana Bafana players and fans alike had their attention split between the two games and with half a heart reluctantly supporting Nigeria against Benin.

Both matches kicked off at 18:00 and both Bafana Bafana and Nigeria made their intent clear with respective early goals. In Mbombela it was Thalente Mbatha who sent the fans into rapturous applause with a goal from outside the box.

Oswin Appollis, who was a man on a mission on Tuesday, netted Bafana Bafana’s second 21 minutes later, and the fans began to believe as the score in Uyo was 2-0 in Nigeria’s favour too.

At half-time the scorelines were 2-0 in both games, a scenario that would see Bafana Bafana secure qualification.
A third goal eventually came Bafana Bafana’s way in the 72nd minute, courtesy of Evidence Makgopa.

At this point Nigeria were still ahead and South Africa’s destiny was set. When the final whistle blew in Mpumalanga’s capital, Bafana Bafana along with the 21 118 fans at Mbombela Stadium erupted in sheer euphoria as their 2026 FIFA World Cup berth was confirmed.

It was the happiest possible ending to Bafana Bafana’s fairy tale, and also the final deliverance on a promise made by coach Hugo Broos when he took charge of the side – that he would ensure South Africa return to the FIFA World Cup.

After the match, squad members, personnel, state dignitaries and the like flooded the Mbombela Stadium pitch to celebrate with and congratulate the Bafana Bafana players on their achievement.

Among them was national minister of sport, arts and culture, Gayton McKenzie, who spoke to Lowvelder in an interview amid all the on-field celebrations.

“We are going to America! The players made the country proud today! It is soccer’s time; it is about time; they made us very very proud, I have nothing but respect for the coaches and all the players; they deserve this. We did it! We are the best sport nation in the world!”

Bafana Bafana’s victory and qualification sent the entire nation into delirium and ended more than 20 years of FIFA World Cup qualification heartbreak. “This is fantastic, not only for us as coach or player, but for all the nation,” Broos said in the post-match press conference.

“I heard somebody say after the game that everybody laughed at Bafana Bafana; we were a joke, and now we are there on a high level and everybody respects us.”

The qualification is also particularly sentimental for Broos, who during his playing career finished fourth with Belgium at the 1986 World Cup, but has yet to coach a team on the World Cup stage. It’s the culmination of a coaching career that will have spanned 38 years by the time next year’s FIFA World Cup rolls around in Mexico, the USA and Canada.

It will also be 40 years since his World Cup appearance as a player, and he confirmed that he intends to call time on his career once the 2026 FIFA World Cup draws to a close.

Bafana Bafana remain unbeaten at Mbombela Stadium with seven wins and four draws, a record that will hopefully see them return sooner rather than later.