Lesotho national team coach Leslie Notsi is taking a measured approach despite his team currently leading their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying group.

Notsi acknowledges their top spot is a sign of improvement. “This is a reflection that we are doing something good,” he said. However, he remains grounded, recognizing the challenges ahead.

Notsi highlights the team’s success despite having few players in organized leagues like South Africa’s PSL. He mentions their all-time top scorer, Sera Motebang, who plays for Royal AM in South Africa, as an exception.

Lesotho currently sits atop Group C with five points, but the group is tightly contested. Benin (4 points) and South Africa (4 points) are close behind, with Nigeria (3 points) and Zimbabwe (2 points) also in contention.

“We are enjoying this moment,” Notsi admits, “because that’s the only time for us to grow when you get a very competitive game.” He emphasizes the importance of these matches for his players’ development and exposure.

Lesotho plays all their “home” matches outside the country in South Africa due to a CAF ban on their stadiums not meeting required standards. This adds another layer of difficulty to their campaign.

When Lesotho beat Zimbabwe, it was the country’s first win in the World Cup qualifiers since beating Sudan in September 2013.

Only group winners of nine will qualify for the FIFA World Cup finals in 2026 that will hosted in US, Canada and Mexico.