TimesLIVE has learnt that Zimbabwe will host Bafana Bafana at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban in what will be a crucial penultimate 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifier on October 6.
Bafana's final qualifier against Rwanda will be hosted at the Mbombela Stadium on October 10. Two wins in these matches will ensure Bafana qualify for the global showpiece for the first time since South Africa hosted the event in 2010.
The last time Bafana qualified for the World Cup through their sweat was in 2002.
The two qualifiers have become crucial for Bafana after Fifa asked the SA Football Association this week to explain why they fielded an ineligible Teboho Mokoena in their 2-0 win over Lesotho in March.
Bafana leads Group C on 17 points, but if Fifa decide to dock them three points for fielding a suspended Mokoena they will share top spot with Benin on 14 points.
“Zimbabwe have agreed to host us in Durban but we've long decided that we'll play Rwanda at the Mbombela Stadium as part of Safa's quest to take Bafana to as many corners of South Africa,” a Safa official told TimesLIVE on Saturday.
Bafana earned four critical points in their last two matches in September in which they beat Lesotho 3-0 before they were held to a 1-1 by Nigeria in matches played at the Free State Stadium.
Zimbabwe is already out of the running for qualification for next year's showpiece while Benin, Nigeria on 11 points and Rwanda also on 11 points are hoping Fifa will punish South Africa for the Mokoena saga.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.