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Ray Bande in Mutare

THERE is more than meets the eye in South Africa Football Association’s (SAFA) decision to have their senior men’s national team play their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Zimbabwe at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein on June 7 — exactly 14 years after Bafana Bafana last used the match venue. 

SAFA acting chief executive officer, Thulani Ngwenya, recently confirmed that the South African senior men’s national team will return to Bloemfontein for the first time since the 2010 FIFA World Cup. 

They last played in the city when they beat France 2-1 in the global FIFA tournament 14 years ago. 

“We are looking forward to playing this match in Bloemfontein, and we appeal to the fans to come out in numbers to support the team. The fans play such a crucial role for the players, and a packed Free State Stadium would serve as a fantastic boost for them,” Ngwenya said. 

Warriors caretaker coach Jairos Tapera said they cannot choose a venue for South Africa, and should prepare adequately to grind a result, come the match day. 

“We do not have an option. They are the home team and they have to choose where we will play. However, it is something that we feel was done to manage the effect of supporters on the terraces. 

“Surely, a hasty change of a match venue and reverting to a stadium that was last used 14 years ago smacks of management of fans’ attendance because we all know we have many Zimbabweans in Johannesburg or Cape Town,” Tapera said. 

While it is understandable that the hosts have the prerogative to choose a home ground of their own choice as long as it meets the required standards, the Warriors’ interim manager’s feelings that the choice of the Bloemfontein match venue is a deliberate scheme, ostensibly meant to limit the number of Warriors’ fans for the potentially explosive tie, is shared by many. 

It is known that most immigrants in South Africa, Zimbabweans included, live in Gauteng, the country’s richest province, which comprises the commercial capital of Johannesburg, the executive capital Pretoria, and the manufacturing hub of Ekurhuleni, hence hosting the match against Zimbabwe in FNB Stadium — also known as Soccer City and The Calabash — for example, may tilt the scales in the terraces, a bit, in the visitors’ favour. 

Zimbabwe will get down to some World Cup qualifying action against Lesotho in Johannesburg on June 7 on a day that Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos’ charges will be facing Nigeria away in Lagos. 

The Warriors then play against South Africa at Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein four days later. 

The 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification CAF Group C is a qualifying group for the 2026 FIFA 

World Cup which contains Nigeria, South Africa, Benin, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, and Lesotho. 

The group winner will directly qualify for the World Cup, and the runner-up could compete in the play-off to advance to the inter-confederation playoffs. 

The 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026.

It will be jointly hosted by 16 cities in three North American countries — Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

The tournament will be the first hosted by three nations and the first North American World Cup since 1994.

Argentina are the defending champions.

FIFA World Cup Qualifiers Group C Fixtures:

June 6: Benin v Rwanda: Felix Houphouet Biogny Stadium, Abidjan, Cote d’lvoire.

June 7: Zimbabwe v Lesotho: Orlando Stadium, South Africa; Nigeria v South Africa: God’s will Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, Nigeria.

June 10: Benin v Nigeria: Felix Houphouet Biogny Stadium, Abidjan, Cote d’lvoire.

June 11: South Africa v Zimbabwe: Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein, South Africa; Lesotho v Rwanda: Moses Mabhidha Stadium, Durban, South Africa.