South Africa vs Nigeria Preview, prediction, lineups, betting tips & odds l 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

Six points separate the two sides on the points table

Matchday eight of the 2026 CAF World Cup Qualifiers will take us to the Free State Stadium, where South Africa will host Nigeria in a must-see game. The home side are coming into this game after registering a 3-0 win over Lesotho. They are currently sitting at the top spot in Group C and have collected 16 points from their opening seven matches.

Nigeria, on the other hand, finds themselves in the third spot with 10 points to their name. On the last matchday, Nigeria had a difficult game against Rwanda but still managed to get a 1-0 win. With six wins and a draw, Egypt have accumulated 19 points to their name. They will look to continue building on this momentum against their next opponents.

Kick-off:

• Location: Bloemfontein, South Africa
• Stadium: Free State Stadium
• Date and Kick-off time: Sep 9 – 9:30 pm IST, 4:00 PM GMT, 12:00 pm ET, 9:00 am PT
• Referee: TBA
• VAR: In Use

Form:

South Africa: W-D-D-W-D

Nigeria: W-W-L-L-D

Players to watch out for:

Lyle Foster (South Africa) 

The Burnley striker registered a goal and an assist during his last outing with the national team against Lesotho. He is a strong and physical presence who excels in holding off the ball in advanced positions. He has found the back of the net in his previous two games and will look to continue his goal-scoring form.

Ademola Lookman (Nigeria)

Ademola Lookman has established himself as one of the best players in the world right now. He is known for his dribbling and creativity. Moreover, he is equally effective in goal scoring with both of his feet. He scored 15 goals and was the second-highest goalscorer for Atalanta last season. He recently returned from an injury and will play a crucial role against South Africa. 

Match Facts:

• The last encounter between these two teams ended in a 1-1 draw.
• Africa won 3-0 against Lesotho in their last game.
• Nigeria won 1-0 against Rwanda in their last game.

South Africa vs Nigeria: Betting tips and odds

• Tip 1: South Africa to win – 2.44 by Dafabet
• Tip 2: Both teams to score – 1.65 by 1XBET
• Tip 3: Goals over 2.5 – 1.871 by Stake

Injury and Team News:

Both teams will have their entire squad available for selection.

Head to Head:

Total matches: 13

South Africa won: 1

Nigeria won: 6

Draws: 6

Predicted Lineups:

South Africa (4-2-3-1)

Williams(GK); Mobbie, Moloisane, Mbokazi, Modiba; Mbatha, Mokoena; Nkota, Mbule, Appollis; Foster

Nigeria (4-2-3-1)

Nwabali(GK); Onyemaechi, Bassey, Fredrick, Aina; Onyeka, Ndidi; Simon, Lookman, Iwobi; Osimhen

Match Prediction:

South Africa are expected to register a win over Nigeria in their upcoming match.

Prediction: South Africa 2-1 Nigeria

Telecast details:

India: Fancode

Nigeria/Africa: DStv.com/DStv Now App or SuperSport TV’s PSL Channel 202

UK, Argentina, Brazil, Spain, Mexico, Japan, Australia, Canada and many more: FIFA+

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