South Africa coach Hugo Broos has assured fans that Bafana Bafana are full of motivation as they prepare for their crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Nigeria in Bloemfontein.

The Free State Stadium will play host to both encounters, with South Africa first taking on Lesotho on Friday, 5 September 2025, before locking horns with continental giants Nigeria on Tuesday, 9 September 2025.

Broos’ charges head into these fixtures sitting on top of Group C with 13 points from six matches, having registered four wins, one draw and just a single defeat. With the finish line in sight, the Belgian tactician stressed that the dream of qualifying for the global showpiece is driving his players to give their all.

“You know when you can go to the World Cup, is there a better motivation than that? For many of these players, it might be their first and maybe their last chance,” Broos explained.

He admitted, however, that the path is never easy on African soil, where every game poses a real test. “Qualifying for the World Cup is extremely difficult in Africa. You have to fight in every match. Don’t think that because we once won 5-0 against Congo that games will always be easy. Lesotho will be a tough challenge.”

With two decisive fixtures ahead, Bafana Bafana know that victory would take them one step closer to fulfilling their World Cup dream.