The South African Football Association (SAFA) confirmed Bafana Bafana’s opponents for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Bafana will host Zimbabwe at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein on Tuesday, on 11 June. This precedes their away match against Nigeria on 7 June, a rematch of the Africa Cup of Nations semifinal where Bafana lost on penalties.

Dr. Thulani Ngwenya, acting CEO due to Lydia Monyepao being away on leave, announced the return of the national team to Bloemfontein. Their last appearance there by Bafana was in the 2010 World Cup group stages, where they beat France 2-1 but fell short of reaching the knockout rounds. Notably, South Africa became the first World Cup host nation to miss the knockout stage.

“We’re excited to play in Bloemfontein and urge fans to come out in force,” said Dr. Ngwenya. “Fan support is crucial, and a packed Free State Stadium would be a fantastic boost for the team.”

This is a huge logistical relief for Bafana Bafana, as the Nedbank Cup final is scheduled for 1 June at Mbombela Stadium. A potential Orlando Pirates vs. Mamelodi Sundowns matchup there could have created major scheduling conflicts. FIFA’s initial provisional date of 3 June would have been a significant logistical challenge for coach Hugo Broos and the association since the game is away.

Bafana sits second in Group C with three points from two games. They began the qualifiers in November with a win over Benin in Durban before a surprising loss to Rwanda away, who currently leads the group.

SAFA will announce kick-off times and ticket prices in the coming days