Hugo Broos, the head coach of the South Africa national football team, has asserted that Nigeria still has a chance to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Despite Nigeria’s current position in Group C, Broos cautioned his players against underestimating both Nigeria and Lesotho in their upcoming qualifiers. At present, South Africa leads Group C with 13 points from six matches, holding a five-point advantage over Rwanda and Benin. Nigeria, however, is in fourth place with only seven points, having secured just one win in their last six matches. South Africa’s next fixtures are against Lesotho on September 5, followed by a match against Nigeria on September 9. Broos emphasized the importance of these games, stating, “We knew from the start that the team we had to beat is Nigeria. Even though they started badly, they can still qualify.” He also warned his players not to underestimate Lesotho, reminding them that Lesotho held Nigeria to a draw in Nigeria. Broos concluded, “We beat Lesotho before, so we must beat them again.”
