South Africa’s Bafana Bafana will host Nigeria’s Super Eagles in a high-stakes 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match on Tuesday, 9th September 2025. The Group C encounter will take place at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein, formerly known as Vodacom Park and later Free State Stadium.
The match, announced by Gordon Savic, FIFA’s Head of Qualifiers and International Matches, is scheduled to kick off at 4:00 p.m. GMT, which translates to 5:00 p.m. in Nigeria and 6:00 p.m. local time in South Africa.
With only one team qualifying directly from each African group for the expanded 2026 World Cup finals, this Matchday 8 fixture is expected to play a pivotal role in determining who secures the sole automatic ticket from Group C. Both nations are among the continent’s football heavyweights, and the outcome of this clash could shape the remainder of the qualification campaign.
The Toyota Stadium, located in South Africa’s judicial capital, has a capacity of 46,000 and was originally opened in 1995. It has hosted several major international events, including matches during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Its atmosphere is expected to be electric when the two sides meet in what promises to be one of the standout fixtures of the African qualifiers.
This key encounter comes just three days after Nigeria’s Super Eagles host Rwanda’s Amavubi in another Group C showdown on Saturday, 6th September 2025, further intensifying the stakes. For Nigeria, it represents an opportunity to gain momentum in the space of two crucial games. For South Africa, it’s a chance to assert dominance on home soil in front of a passionate crowd.
The historical rivalry between the two nations adds even more significance to this match. Nigeria, three-time African champions, and South Africa, 1996 AFCON winners, have faced each other in numerous high-stakes encounters, most recently in the semi-finals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, where Nigeria triumphed after a penalty shootout.
As both teams aim for qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup set to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, the match in Bloemfontein is shaping up to be one of the defining moments of their campaign.
Football fans across the continent will be watching closely as two of Africa’s most prominent teams battle for supremacy, with qualification hopes hanging in the balance.
