Qatar is also there again
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Despite a point deduction, South Africa is taking part in a World Cup for the first time since the tournament at home in 2010. On the last matchday of the qualification, coach Hugo Broos’ team secured their ticket to next year’s finals thanks to a 3-0 (2-0) win against Rwanda in Mbombela. German coach Gernot Rohr and Benin will not make it to the World Cup, which will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026 in the USA, Mexico and Canada and will be held for the first time with 48 nations.
After goals from Thalente Mbatha (5th minute), Oswin Appollis (26th) and Evidence Makgopa (72nd), the South Africans surpassed the surprise team from Benin, which had been in first place in Group C before the final encounters. The selection of German coach Gernot Rohr had to admit defeat 0:4 (0:2) in Nigeria and lost the top position after a hat-trick from Victor Osimhen from Galatasaray Istanbul. With a win, Benin could have qualified for a World Cup for the first time, but instead they slipped to third place behind Nigeria and thus missed the play-offs (to the table).
South Africa is sure to be at the World Cup, even though the association had previously been drastically punished. This became necessary because professional Teboho Mokoena, who was actually not eligible to play due to a yellow card suspension, was illegally called up against Lesotho in March. A 2-0 win subsequently turned into a 0-3 defeat and three secure points were lost. The South Africans did not take part in the last three tournaments in Brazil (2014), Russia (2018) and Qatar (2022). A good 15 years ago, the World Cup in our own country ended in the preliminary round. Even in the two previous World Cup participations, it was never enough for a place in the knockout round.
Update 9:19 p.m.: In the evening, Qatar, the next outsider, qualified for the World Cup. The 2022 host defeated the United Arab Emirates 2-1 (0-0) and finished first in the group of three. Boualem Khoukhi (49th minute) and Pedro Miguel (74th) scored the goals for the hosts, for whom this will be their second participation in a World Cup after the home World Cup at the end of 2022. Sultan Adil (90th + 8) only managed to score the next goal for the guests late on.