By Marcus Moloko
Bafana Bafana have officially qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after commanding a 3-0 victory over Rwanda at the Mbombela Stadium on Tuesday night.
The win not only electrified the home crowd but also sealed Bafana Bafana’s top spot in Group C with 18 points from 10 matches, ending a 24-year absence from football’s biggest stage.
The match kicked off at 18:00 under high stakes for the South African team.
In another closely watched match, Nigeria delivered by defeating Benin, opening the door for Bafana Bafana to leapfrog forward.
Led by Hugo Broos, Bafana Bafana played with urgency from the first whistle.
Midfielder Thalente Mbatha opened the scoring within the first five minutes with a powerful strike from outside the box.
Oswin Appollis, who had been a constant menace throughout the game, netted a well-deserved second after being set up by his Orlando Pirates teammate, Evidence Makgopa.
Makgopa then added his name to the scoresheet, heading in the third goal from a corner.
Rwanda, which had hoped to spoil South Africa’s party and strengthen their own qualification hopes, was thoroughly outclassed on Tuesday night.
This marks a major milestone for South Africa, who last qualified for the tournament in 2002.
With qualification now secured, attention shifts to preparations for the global stage.
INSIDE POLITICS