Head coach of Rwanda national team, Adel Amrouche has described South Africa as a worthy team to represent Africa at the 2026 World Cup tournament.
The Bafana Bafana, coached by Hugo Broos, booked their place with a convincing 3-0 victory over Rwanda on the final day of the African qualifiers on Tuesday.
The result saw South Africa finish top of their group with 18 points from 10 matches, edging out Benin and Nigeria in one of the tightest qualification races on the continent. The victory sparked widespread celebrations across Johannesburg and other major cities, as fans rejoiced at the team’s return to the global stage.
This qualification ends South Africa’s long wait since their last World Cup appearance in 2010, when they hosted the tournament. They also featured in France 1998 and Korea-Japan 2002, with their best performance being a 17th-place finish.
“Firstly, I’d like to congratulate all the people of the nation of South Africa because they believed,” Amrouche said, as per the South African Football Association’s official media team.
“I’m happy for the coach of Bafana Bafana and for all the team because Africa needs people who can represent them well, like Nigeria, the strong teams who can represent the continent in the World Cup.”
South Africa will now focus on the draw for the 2026 World Cup slated for December 2025.
