Bafana Bafana have only won once compared to Nigeria’s six wins in a competitive match. Three of the nine matches played have all resulted in a draw. Other teams drawn in Group C include Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Rwanda and Benin. South Africa last appeared at the World Cup in 2010 as hosts.
The winners of each of the nine groups will automatically qualify for the World Cup. The four best group runners-up will participate in an inter-confederation tournament by virtue of representing Africa in March 2026.
The first round of fixtures will be played in November 2023.
AFRICA QUALIFYING DRAW FOR 2026 WORLD CUP
Group A
Egypt
Burkina Faso
Guinea-Bissau
Sierra Leone
Ethiopia
Djibouti
Group B
Senegal
DR Congo
Mauritania
Togo
Sudan
South Sudan
Group C
Nigeria
South Africa
Benin
Zimbabwe
Rwanda
Lesotho
Group D
Cameroon
Cape-Verde
Angola
Libya
Eswatini
Mauritius
Group E
Morocco
Zambia
Congo
Tanzania
Niger
Eritrea
Group F
Cote d’Ivoire
Gabon
Kenya
Gambia
Burundi
Seychelles
Group G
Algeria
Guinea
Uganda
Mozambique
Botswana
Somalia
Group H
Tunisia
Equatorial Guinea
Namibia
Malawi
Liberia
Sao Tome and Principe
Group I
Mali
Ghana
Madagascar
Central African Republic
Comoros
Chad
Matchdays
- November 13 2023
- November 21 2023
- June 3 2024
- June 11 2024
- March 17 2025
- March 25 2025
- September 1 2025
- September 9 2025
- October 6 2025
- October 14 2025
The draw for the Soccer World Cup 2026 African qualifiers took place in Djibouti on Thursday the 13th of July 2023.