Bafana Bafana Draws Zimbabwe, Appeals FIFA Deduction, Remains World Cup Qualification Contender

Bafana Bafana, South Africa's national soccer team, faced a goalless draw against Zimbabwe in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier, complicating their path to qualification. The team, coached by Hugo Broos, must now defeat Rwanda in their final group match and hope for favorable results in other games, notably Nigeria beating Benin, to advance. A significant setback for South Africa was a three-point deduction by FIFA due to fielding an ineligible player, an appeal against this decision is unlikely to succeed. Despite this, Broos remains confident in his squad's ability to secure qualification, emphasizing the importance of winning upcoming matches and maintaining belief. Former assistant coach Roger de Sa highlighted Broos's effective management and the expanded qualification format as positive factors but lamented the impact of the points deduction. Bafana's final qualifying games are critical, with the winner of their group earning direct entry to the 2026 World Cup, while the best runners-up enter further playoffs.