Bafana Bafana of South Africa head coach Hugo Broos has remained optimistic about their qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the expense of Nigeria.
South Africa was drawn against Nigeria’s Super Eagles alongside Rwanda, Benin, Zimbabwe and Lesotho.
The German gaffer reacted to the draw on Friday and believed they have a better team than the last qualifier.
” The away games will be very important in a group like ours, but now a little bit more because we have five difficult away games for different reasons.
“I think South Africa can qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup first in the group.
“If you see the progress we have made in the last two years, you cannot compare those qualifiers (for the 2026 World Cup) with the qualifiers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
We are better now, we have a better team now. So okay, I am confident”, he told SAFA media.
The winners of the nine qualifying groups will automatically book their ticket for the 2026 World Cup, while the four best second-placed teams will play in a new CAF Play-Off tournament.
The winner of the CAF Play-Off Tournament will play in the FIFA Play-off Tournament.