South Africa coach Hugo Broos has admitted that the next two games in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers will be crucial for Bafana Bafana. However, he believes that the match against Benin could be less arduous due to one key factor.
With just a few days to go before facing Lesotho (Friday) and then Benin (Tuesday), the Belgian coach insisted on the importance of getting six points to move closer to qualification. “It’s a key moment. If we get two wins, we’ll be taking a big step towards the World Cup, given the other results in the group,” he declared.
However, Broos expects tough opposition against Lesotho, a team he describes as combative and determined: “ They fight for every ball, and against South Africa they try to do even better. So it’s going to be a tough match. “
On the other hand, the coach sees an advantage for his team in the trip against Benin. Due to the unavailability of their own stadium, the Cheetahs will be playing in Côte d’Ivoire, a context which could work in the South Africans’ favor: “ Benin are playing in Côte d’Ivoire, so there won’t be many fans and supporters. That’s a small advantage for us.”
Currently co-leaders of Group C, Bafana Bafana will be hoping to capitalize on these two matches to assert themselves at the top and move closer to qualification for the 2026 World Cup.