World Cup 2026: South Africa vs Nigeria, the group C turning point | OneFootball

South Africa play to secure their ticket. Nigeria play to survive.

World Cup 2026: South Africa vs Nigeria, the group C turning point

This is a top-billing clash in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. South Africa, the solid leaders of Group C, host Nigeria, who are under pressure to bring home a positive result or watch their qualification dreams slip away.

Bafana Bafana: time to win!

Firmly on top of Group C, the South Africans approach this showdown with confidence. In seven qualifying matches, they've racked up five wins and conceded just one goal. At home, they’re even more formidable: their recent 3-0 win over Lesotho underlines an impressive run of form.

Nigeria under pressure

For the Super Eagles, the equation is simple: avoid defeat to keep their qualification hopes alive. Currently third with 10 points, they trail South Africa by six. Their hard-fought win over Rwanda (1-0) restored some belief, but there’s zero margin for error now. Despite an unbeaten run of eight matches, Nigeria are struggling to convince in attack.

A duel that could seal the group

In the first leg in Abuja, the two nations cancelled each other out (1-1). This new encounter carries massive stakes: