Bafana Bafana coach, Hugo Broos, has expressed strong conviction that his team unequivocally deserves to qualify for the FIFA World Cup in North America next year. Citing the immense effort and dedication demonstrated by his squad over the past two years, Broos believes they have positioned themselves perfectly for contention.

The South African senior men’s national team recently assembled in Roodepoort, Johannesburg, to prepare for their critical upcoming World Cup qualifiers. These vital matches include an away qualifier against Zimbabwe, scheduled for Friday, October 10, 2025, at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. Following this, they will host Rwanda in their final qualifier at the Mbombela Stadium, Mpumalanga, on Tuesday, October 14, 2025. Both fixtures are set for 18h00 local time.

Broos conveyed his unwavering faith in the team, stating, “There are no doubts, there have never been any doubts from my side, and I will try to transfer this to the players at a meeting we will have on Tuesday.” He added, “I believe in this group and I am sure that they will do everything in their power to win that game on Friday. Why should we doubt ourselves now after our performances in the qualifiers? If there is a team that deserves to go to the World Cup, it is South Africa.”

Discussing the strategic advantages, Broos highlighted South Africa's position relative to competitors Nigeria and the Benin Republic. He explained that winning their game against Zimbabwe would potentially give South Africa 17 points. This is a crucial threshold, as Nigeria, even if they win their last two matches, could only accumulate 17 points. Similarly, Rwanda's maximum potential would also be 17 points. Broos also noted that the Benin Republic faces a challenging schedule, playing against both Nigeria and Rwanda, making it unlikely for them to win both their final games.

Currently, Group C standings show a tight race. The Benin Republic leads with 14 points and a superior goal difference, closely followed by South Africa, also with 14 points. Nigeria and Rwanda are positioned in third and fourth places, respectively, each with 11 points.

Adding a layer of complexity to their campaign, Bafana Bafana recently faced a setback with a three-point deduction from FIFA. This ruling was a consequence of fielding Teboho Mokoena, an ineligible player who had accumulated two yellow cards, in their qualifier against Lesotho in March 2025. This deduction has left South Africa in second place, trailing the Benin Republic but still ahead of Nigeria, as they head into their final decisive fixtures against Zimbabwe and Rwanda.

Despite the challenges and the recent FIFA ruling, Broos remains resolute, affirming his team’s right to play in next year's tournament and emphasizing the critical importance of performing strongly in these upcoming matches to secure their World Cup dream.