Nigeria’s Super Eagles saw their 2026 FIFA World Cup ambitions falter after being held to a 1-1 draw by South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in Bloemfontein on Tuesday.
The qualifier, played at the Free State Stadium, offered Nigeria a crucial chance to close the gap in Group C. Instead, the result leaves them second in the table with 11 points—level with Benin Republic but six points adrift of leaders South Africa—with only two matches left to play.
The night turned sour early when captain William Troost-Ekong inadvertently diverted a cross from Nkota into his own net, gifting the hosts the lead.
Nigeria found a response before the break. Ademola Lookman ignited the attack, Moses Simon delivered an accurate cross, and Calvin Bassey powered home a header that replays suggested may have brushed his arm. With no VAR in operation, the equaliser stood.
Despite flashes of determination, the Super Eagles could not find a winner, leaving their qualification hopes hanging precariously with time running out.