Johannesburg – South Africa joins the list of African nations qualified for the 2026 World Cup, after defeating Rwanda with a score of 3-0 this Tuesday. This result secured them the first place in their qualifying group, despite the three-point penalty suffered for fielding an ineligible player in previous matches.This will be South Africa’s first participation in a World Cup since their direct qualification as hosts in 2010.With South Africa’s victory, Nigeria finished second in their group, forcing them to play a play-off to try to secure their place in the World Cup. Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.Nigeria secured a resounding victory over Benin, with a 4-0 score at home, thanks to a hat-trick from their star, striker Victor Osimhen. Benin led the group before the final matchday.Later on Tuesday, two African powerhouses, Senegal and Ivory Coast, sealed their qualification for the World Cup draw to be held in December, marking the close of the qualifying matches for the continent’s direct spots.
South Africa Qualifies for the 2026 World Cup, Nigeria to Play-offs
