Bafana Bafana Still Believe In Fairytales As 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualification Hangs In The Balance

South Africa’s goalkeeper Ronwen Williams attends a press conference ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026 Africa group qualifier football match between Sout Africa and Benin in Abidjan on March 24, 2025. (Photo by Issouf SANOGO / AFP) (Photo by ISSOUF SANOGO/AFP via Getty Images)

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Despite the slim margin for error ahead of South Africa’s final World Cup Qualifying game, captain Ronwen Williams still believes in fairytales and in his team’s chances of securing a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Group C has tested every team’s resilience; however, Williams’ words convey both optimism and realism. “I believe in fairytales,” he stated to Forbes.com and other media during the media day press conference ahead of their must-win match against Rwanda, a sentiment that reflects both the hope and hardships of South Africa’s qualifying campaign.

This challenging situation is not entirely of their own making. A costly administrative error earlier this year resulted in midfielder Teboho Mokoena being fielded against Lesotho in March, despite having accumulated two yellow cards in previous qualifying games. This oversight led to a disciplinary sanction and complicated Bafana’s path to qualification.

Currently, South Africa’s route to North America hinges delicately on its own performance and results from other matches. A win against Rwanda is essential for keeping their World Cup dream alive. However, even with a victory, Bafana will need Nigeria to defeat Benin, which would send South Africa directly to the World Cup. Anything less would complicate qualification, making it dependent on improbable scenarios and results from other groups to potentially open a playoff route.

Broos: “We are ready again”

Head coach Hugo Broos echoed his captain’s faith, reflecting on how the team has recovered emotionally and mentally since their frustrating draw with Zimbabwe.

“We needed some time after the game on Friday to recover,” Broos shared. That recovery, Broos explained, began just a day later. “Already Saturday afternoon, I felt that things were changing. The atmosphere was totally different from 24 hours before. What I saw in training gave me confidence again. The players will be ready for the game tomorrow.”

He emphasised that South Africa’s focus must remain inward. “We have to focus only on ourselves,” he said. “Like Ronwen said, we can’t decide what happens on the other field in Nigeria. If we win, we have to wait and see. But the things we all dreamed of can happen tomorrow.

Managing the changes

Broos also addressed changes to the lineup, notably the suspension of defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi after receiving a red card in the final minutes of the game. “It’s a little problem for us,” Broos admitted. “He is very strong in defending but also in transition, in building up. You don’t want to lose a player like this for an important game.”

Still, he refused to criticise his young defender harshly, noting, “It was a reaction from a young player who was provoked twice in five minutes..I can’t tell him well done, but I will not blame him for that. Those are things a young player has to learn.”

Broos confirmed that he and his technical team were considering two replacement options and would decide closer to kickoff.

A Different Kind of Motivation for Rwanda

While Bafana fight for their World Cup hopes, Rwanda’s Amavubi arrive in South Africa with a different motivation. Though out of contention, they aim to represent their nation with pride.

In a pre-match press conference, head coach Adel Amrouche reflected on football’s unpredictability. “I did not expect to meet in this situation,” he said. “I had a different scenario in mind, but football decides.”

With decades of coaching experience in Africa, Amrouche understands the unique challenges of qualifying campaigns. “Each person has their own philosophy,” he noted. “Personally, I hate to lose. I take it day by day, knowing anything can happen.”

Despite the odds, Amrouche plans to use the match for Rwanda’s long-term development, rotating his squad and providing opportunities for new players. “This game is a great chance for us to evaluate how they perform against a strong team,” he said.

A Coach Reflecting on Timing and Progress

Amrouche’s appointment came in the middle of the qualifiers, which left little time for adaptation.

“I remember when I started with the team in Nigeria; it was just two days before the game,” he recalled. “I didn’t know the names of the players or their qualities. I often ask myself, if I had come earlier, could things have been different?”

He paused and added, “But I found good players with a strong mentality. They just needed help with organisation, specifically, tactical organisation on the field, and to improve their fighting spirit a bit. Over time, I have seen significant progress. I have high hopes for this group.”

For Amrouche, the match against South Africa symbolises both an ending and a new beginning, the conclusion of one campaign and the start of preparations for the next. He believes that Rwanda is building towards something sustainable.

“I have youth players in the team, along with players from the local league,” he said. “There are also some senior players, and I have 100% confidence in managing these local talents. Some of them are now performing at a high level, like our captain. Just imagine what it would be like if all these players were competing in top leagues. I believe we could form a very strong team.”

The coach also discussed the broader ambitions of Rwandan football. “We are building a foundation. I am sure that in the future, we will see Rwandan players competing in major leagues. Everyone is working hard to elevate the country to the top. It aligns with the government’s philosophy of positioning Rwanda for success. There is a promising future if we maintain our focus on development.”

National Pride Over Points

Captain Dijhad Bizimana echoed that focus on progress and pride.

“For us, we are not thinking like that,” he said when asked whether the match means less now that Rwanda are out of contention. “Games for the national team are very important. You are always playing for something; for your country, for your pride. So tomorrow we are going all in.”

Even with nothing tangible at stake, Rwanda’s players understand the symbolic weight of every cap. For Bizimana, national representation transcends the group standings.

He also credited Amrouche for the changes since taking charge.

“He came in March, after five games,” Bizimana noted. “It’s not easy for a coach or for the players because you need to adapt to a new philosophy. But until now, we are happy. We are making some progress, and I think with time it will even be better. We are happy with the coach.”

Reflecting on the difficulty of Group C, Bizimana highlighted how much the level of competition has grown across Africa.

“From the beginning, maybe you thought Nigeria or South Africa would find it easy,” he said. “But now you can see, until the last minute, it is playable. That shows that the level of competition is becoming good for every team. It’s a very good thing for Africa.”

Faith, pressure, and perspective

Hugo Broos has a wealth of experience, but as the saying goes, you never stop learning, and this campaign has been a learning curve for the Belgian tactician. When asked whether he had faced a situation like this before, one where even a victory might not guarantee progress, Broos paused. “I don’t think I’ve ever been in a situation like this in my whole career,” he said. “Even when you win, you’re not sure. That’s difficult.”

Broos was clear on priorities: “The most important thing tomorrow is to win. Then we’ll see. But we will do everything to win the game and to score as many goals as possible.”

As both teams take the field, they will do so under contrasting pressures: one chasing qualification, the other chasing growth. But beneath those differences lies a shared thread of belief.

For Amrouche and Rwanda, it’s a belief in the future. For Williams and South Africa, it’s a belief in the possibility that something special can still happen.

In a campaign that has been as unpredictable as it has been demanding, faith might just be what South Africa needs most. Because, as history has shown, in African football, fairytales don’t always belong to the favourites but to those who refuse to stop believing.