Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has expressed his frustration after it was revealed that his team will be unable to train at Stade Félix Houphouët Boigny in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, the day before their crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Benin on Tuesday.

Benin is hosting Bafana Bafana in Côte d’Ivoire on Tuesday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier because their home grounds do not meet international standards.

However, a scheduling conflict, which was revealed by Sportswire early on Monday, has arisen due to Côte d’Ivoire hosting Gambia at the same Stade Félix Houphouët Boigny on Monday night, preventing both Bafana Bafana and Benin from accessing the venue for pre-match training.

Broos is understandably displeased, as FIFA regulations entitle the visiting team to a one-hour training session on the match pitch the day before the game.

“First of all, I have to tell you that I’m really not satisfied with the decision that we can’t have a pre-match training in the stadium where the game takes place. I think this is a FIFA rule, that every team has the right to have a preliminary training before the game of 60 minutes in the stadium where you play, where the match takes place,” Broos stated.  

“I don’t understand. I understand it because there is another game. But this is bad when people who make the rules don’t follow the rules. Will that have an influence on the game? I don’t know.  

“But I know if tomorrow after the game I’m not at the press conference, there will be a sanction. So, we have to follow the rules. Where are the rules now? And you will tell me, yes, that’s for both teams. I don’t think so. I think Berlin has already trained in that stadium because they were here before us. 

“So, it’s all nice to say, follow the rules, follow this. We have to follow everything. But we have the right to train today in the stadium where the match takes place, and we can’t. And this is not honest, and this is not correct.” 

Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams conveyed the team’s excitement at returning to Côte d’Ivoire, recalling their Africa Cup of Nations bronze medal victory in the country last February.

The South African team secured the bronze medals by defeating DR Congo 6-5 on penalties in the AFCON third-place play-off, their first such achievement in 24 years.

“It’s going to be a tough one. Benin is a very good team, but we believe in our qualities, we believe in what we’ve been building over the last year. So, we’re looking forward to the game. It’s going to be a tough one, a lot of challenges, but I think this team is strong enough to overcome all those challenges,” he said. 

“It’s going to be a tough one, but we’re excited and we’re looking forward to it. We know how important and vital this game is for the group.  

“We know that we can open up a gap and we know that a gap can be closed as well. So, this is a big, big, big game in these qualifying rounds. It’s obviously the halfway mark now and after tomorrow you’ll have an idea as to who the favourites are in the group. So, we want to be there, and we want to stay on top of the group.” 

Bafana Bafana will conduct their first training session in Côte d’Ivoire this afternoon.