Nigeria hold Bafana Bafana to a draw in Bloemfontein

CAPE TOWN - Nigeria held Bafana Bafana to a 1-1 draw in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Bloemfontein on Tuesday.

The hosts took the lead through a William Troost-Ekong own goal in the 25th minute. The visitors equalised through Calvin Bassey just before half-time.

The result, coupled with results elsewhere in Group C, means that Bafana Bafana's wait for qualification continues.

To seal qualification on Tuesday, South Africa needed to win and Benin and Rwanda needed to drop points in their respective matches. Rwanda beat Zimbabwe 1-0 in their match, while Benin's match against Lesotho will be played later on Tuesday night.

After eight games and with two rounds of fixtures left, Bafana Bafana top the standings with 17 points. Nigeria move into the second qualification spot with 11 points.