The Super Eagles of Nigeria were held to a 1-1 draw by South Africa in their Group C encounter during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The match took place at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, marking a critical contest for both nations as they seek to secure qualification for the tournament next year.

The scoring opened in the 25th minute when Nigeria’s Troost-Ekong inadvertently diverted the ball into his own net following a cross from South African striker Nkota, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead. Despite this early setback, the Nigerian side maintained pressure throughout the first half, creating several opportunities.

Nigeria equalised in the 44th minute when Calvin Bassey converted a well-timed header from a precise pass by Dele-Bashiru, restoring parity ahead of the interval. Both teams continued to press in the second half, with notable chances from Tolu Arokodare, Samuel Chukwueze, and Ademola Lookman for Nigeria, and Foster and Mbokazi for South Africa. However, defensive resilience and goalkeeping ensured the scoreline remained unchanged.

Substitutions played a key role in the match dynamics. Nigeria introduced Tolu Arokodare for Cyriel Dessers and Samuel Chukwueze for Moses Simon, while South Africa made changes including the introduction of Moyane and Foster. Yellow cards were issued to Bruno Onyemeachi, Mokoena, Aubass, and others during a fiercely contested game.

The draw leaves South Africa at the top of Group C with 16 points, while Nigeria occupies third place with 10 points. A win for either side would have significantly improved their prospects for direct qualification, with only nine group winners guaranteed passage to the World Cup and the four best runners-up entering play-offs in November 2025.

The match also took place amid ongoing controversy, as FIFA has yet to rule on a complaint regarding South Africa’s alleged fielding of an ineligible player in their 3-0 victory over Lesotho. Should the ruling go against the hosts, it could tighten the Group C standings further.