The 2026 World Cup qualification path for Bafana Bafana will feature regular opposition despite the benefit of avoiding trips to North Africa.
Hugo Broos' charges have been drawn into Group C with Nigeria, Benin, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, and Lesotho with the group winner going through to the 48 nation 2026 World Cup in USA, Canada, and Mexico.
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If the runner-up in this group is one of four best second placed teams, then they go through to a marathon qualifier that starts with a continental play-off to determine the team to advance to the inter-confederation play-offs (which will not feature UEFA).
When Bafana Bafana played their first qualifiers for the 1994 World Cup following the country's readmission to FIFA, Nigeria was the toughest opponent in Group D.
Bafana had a rude awakening in Lagos after being hammered 4-0 and then drew nil all in the return leg in Johannesburg.
As was expected the Super Eagles won that group and qualified for the finals in USA where they lost in the last 16 to Italy.
Then for the 2002 qualifiers, Bafana overcame Lesotho 3-0 on aggregate in the first round of qualifiers.
Into the second round, Zimbabwe were opponents in Group E along with Malawi, Guinea, and Burkina Faso.
Bafana won 2-0 against The Warriors in Harare but it was a match with a sad ending with 12 fans killed after a stampede caused by police firing tear gas into the 60 000 strong crowd.
In the return leg, Bafana won 2-1 and ultimately finished top of the group to qualify for the World Cup ahead of Zimbabwe.
Though South Africa qualified for the 2010 World Cup by virtue of being hosts they again faced Nigeria in the same group, which doubled up as qualifiers for the 2010 AFCON.
While World Cup qualification was already secured, Bafana failed to make the list of the 16 teams at the AFCON finals the same year.
Nigeria took top spot in Group 4 and went through to both the AFCON and World Cup having beaten Bafana home and away.
In the 2014 World Cup qualifiers Bafana fluffed it handing Ethiopia the ticket to face Nigeria in the final round of qualifiers.
Then in 2018, it was a disastrous campaign while in 2022 the familiar face of neighbours Zimbabwe was in the same Group G.
It was a goalless draw in Harare before Bafana squeezed out a 1-0 win at FNB Stadium, but Ghana went through in controversial circumstances to the final round.
This means ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualification campaign, Nigeria have the edge based on history having had the edge in all previous World Cup qualifiers.
Benin and Rwanda and the only teams that Bafana have never faced in World Cup qualifiers.
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