World Cup 2026: South Africa qualified. Nigeria and Cameroon in the play-offs

South Africa is the seventh African national team to qualify for the World Cup, thanks to a 3-0 win over Rwanda. Nigeria’s 4-0 win over Benin with a hat-trick from Osimhen allows the Super Eagles to finish behind Bafana Bafana and win the continental play-offs as one of the 4 best runners-up. Uganda’s 2-1 defeat in Algeria also allows Cameroon to qualify for the playoffs. The other verdicts in the evening.

Africa

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With Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Ghana and Cape Verde already qualified, 3 places remained to be allocated. The first was taken by South Africa in the afternoon by beating Rwanda 3-0 and winning Group C. A record that had been put at serious risk due to the 3-0 defeat inflicted on them by FIFA for having fielded the suspended Teboho Mokoena in the 2-0 win over Lesotho last March. Bafana Bafana thus return to the finals for the first time since 2010, when they participated as the organizing country. The other two appearances were in 1998 and 2002. The South Africans have never made it past the group stage.

group C

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Nigeria faced Benin at home with the obligation to win and hope in a misstep by South Africa for direct qualification or at least in a success with a 4-goal difference to overtake Burkina Faso and reach the playoffs. Things immediately went well thanks to Osimhen’s goal after 3′ with an assist from former Rossoneri player Chukwueze. But news arrived from Nelspruit that South Africa had the advantage over Rwanda thanks to Mbatha’s goal. In the 26th minute the South African doubled their lead with Appollis who put the Super Eagles with their backs to the wall. The answer again with the former Milan and Napoli couple. Chuku’s cross and Osimhen’s header for the second goal in the 38th minute. South Africa’s 3-0 thanks to Makgopa in the 72nd minute confirmed Bafana Bafana’s direct qualification. The goal that gave Nigeria the playoffs came in injury time with Onyeka in the 91st minute. The Uya stadium exploded with joy. For now, but only for now, the great fear has passed. Uganda’s 2-1 defeat in Algeria (with Amoura’s penalty in the 99th minute) also made Cameroon’s qualification among the best runners-up official.

the evening

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The other verdicts will be in the evening, with Ivory Coast who, by beating Kenya, would achieve their objective by forcing Gabon (at home against Burundi) into the play-offs, and Senegal who only need a home draw with Mauritania to stay ahead of the Democratic Republic of Congo, at home against Sudan. In fact, in the event of an equal finish, the 7 goal advantage in goal difference would favor the Ivorians. A victory would still allow the Congolese to reach the playoffs, which will take place in Morocco on 13 and 16 November, with venues to be established and pairings for the semi-finals decided by the next FIFA ranking. The winner will then go on to play the intercontinental play-offs in March in Mexico, playoffs for which Bolivia and New Caledonia have already qualified. For the two places reserved for the Central American teams, the situation is still fluid with the last matches in mid-November which will decide the three direct qualifiers and the two who will go to the playoffs (currently Jamaica and Costa Rica). The last place available will be for an Asian, the winner of the play-off between the second teams of the two groups (of 3), therefore the loser of Saudi Arabia-Iraq (playing tonight) and one between the United Arab Emirates and Qatar (who will also compete in the evening).