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FIFA has announced that South Africa's 2026 World Cup qualifying match against Nigeria will take place at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein on Tuesday, September 9, 2025.
Gordon Savic, FIFA's Head of Qualifiers and International Matches, confirmed through the NFF that the game is set to begin at 5 pm Nigerian time.
The Toyota Stadium, with a capacity of 46,000, previously known as Vodacom Park and Free State Stadium, is one of South Africa’s most prominent sports arenas. Established in 1995, it hosted several matches during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
This crucial matchday eight encounter in Group C is vital for determining which country secures Africa’s only automatic spot in the 2026 World Cup finals set to take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The match comes just three days after Nigeria plays against Rwanda in Uyo on September 6. Currently, South Africa leads the group with 13 points from six games, while Nigeria is in fourth place with seven points, following a disappointing series of one victory, four draws, and one loss.
The group also includes Benin, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, and Lesotho. Only the top team will qualify automatically for the World Cup, while the second-place team may have a chance via the CAF play-offs and possibly inter-confederation play-offs.
Despite a tough start, Nigeria is still mathematically in contention with four games remaining. Following the matches in September against Rwanda and South Africa, the Super Eagles will compete against Lesotho away and conclude their campaign with a home game against Benin in October.
The earlier match in June ended in a 1–1 draw in Uyo, with Themba Zwane from South Africa scoring first, followed by an equalizer from Nigeria’s Fisayo Dele-Bashiru shortly after halftime.
To boost their chances of qualification and bridge the six-point gap with South Africa, the Eagles must secure all three points in Bloemfontein, as South Africa seeks to return to the World Cup for the first time since 2010.
Nigeria, a three-time African champion, aims to qualify for their seventh World Cup finals after missing out on the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
