FIFA Confirms Nigeria vs South Africa 2026 World Cup Qualifier

FIFA Confirms Nigeria vs South Africa 2026 World Cup Qualifier.
The World Cup qualifier will kick off at 5 p.m. Nigerian time.
Nigeria sits fourth in Group C, chasing qualification with four games left.

World football governing body, FIFA, has officially confirmed that South Africa will host Nigeria in a crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Tuesday, September 9, 2025.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the match, a Group C fixture, will take place at the 46,000-capacity Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein and is scheduled to kick off at 5:00 p.m. Nigerian time.

This confirmation came through a letter from FIFA’s Head of Qualifiers and International Matches, Gordon Savic, to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

The Toyota Stadium, formerly known as Vodacom Park and later Free State Stadium, is one of South Africa’s premier sporting venues and was among the host centres during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The fixture is part of matchday eight in the CAF qualification series and is expected to play a decisive role in determining the group’s sole automatic ticket to the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Nigeria will head into the clash after hosting Rwanda in Uyo on Friday, September 6. With four games remaining, the Super Eagles sit fourth in Group C with seven points from six matches, having recorded one win, four draws, and one defeat.

South Africa currently top the group with 13 points and will be looking to consolidate their position. The group also includes Rwanda, Benin, Zimbabwe, and Lesotho.

Only the group winner secures automatic qualification. However, the runner-up could still reach the global showpiece via the CAF and inter-confederation play-offs.

Nigeria vs South Africa World Cup Qualifier

The previous encounter between both teams in June ended 1-1 in Uyo, with Themba Zwane scoring for South Africa and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru levelling for Nigeria in the second half.