By Dayo Awoniyi
Nigeria’s Super Eagles will face South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in a potentially decisive 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match on Tuesday, 9th September 2025, at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein.
The Matchday 8 Group C fixture, confirmed by FIFA’s Head of Qualifiers and International Matches, Gordon Savic, is set for a 4:00 p.m. GMT kickoff (5:00 p.m. Nigerian time, 6:00 p.m. South African time).
The match will be played at the iconic 46,000-capacity Toyota Stadium — formerly Vodacom Park and later Free State Stadium — a venue steeped in history and located in South Africa’s judicial capital. Opened in 1995, the stadium was one of the key venues during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
The encounter could prove pivotal in determining which nation secures the sole automatic qualification spot from Group C for the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Both teams are currently among the frontrunners in what has become one of the tightest qualification groups on the continent.
The high-stakes clash comes just three days after Nigeria hosts Rwanda in another crucial tie on Saturday, 6th September at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.
With everything to play for, the Super Eagles will be looking to gain maximum points in both fixtures as they aim to return to the global stage after missing out on the 2022 edition in Qatar.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
