10 February 2025 – Bafana Bafana will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Lesotho at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane next month.
Coach Hugo Broos’ charges host their COSAFA neighbours in the Limpopo province on Friday, 21 March 2025 and then fly to Benin by charter to face the West Africans in the second qualifier a few days later.
The province and the city hosted a press briefing on Monday evening to announce Polokwane as the venue of the match and also used the opportunity to allay fears about the readiness of the pitch to accommodate the crunch FIFA World Cup qualifier.
SAFA President Dr Danny Jordaan said the Association was happy to continue taking the South African senior men’s national team to different parts of the country, with Polokwane the latest to assume the responsibility.
“Hosting this game in Polokwane, Limpopo, is a continuation of our commitment to taking the team to different parts of the country. We hope to see the passionate and packed stadiums we saw in Mangaung, Gqeberha and Cape Town during the team’s unbeaten run in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers last year. Now it is Polokwane’s turn to fill up the stadium,” the SAFA President said.
Limpopo Premier Dr. Phophi Ramathuba: “This match is not just another fixture on the football calendar, but it is a momentous occasion for our city, our province and of course for our country as we rally behind our boys in their quest to secure a spot in football’s grandest stage (the 2026 FIFA World Cup).”
There were initially concerns over the readiness of the pitch after the surface was damaged following a music concert in December last year. Following the media briefing, the provincial government invited members of the media in attendance to inspect the pitch themselves, insisting that the stadium will host its first match of the new year in the coming weeks before welcoming Bafana Bafana and Lesotho.
The kick off time and ticketing information will be communicated by SAFA in the coming days.
South African Football: Fans often wear the national team’s colors and wave flags during matches.
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Sport Trivia: Who won the WBA junior lightweight title in 1986 and sucessfully defended it 12 times? Answer: Brian Mitchell. He started his boxing career in 1981, and the majority of his fights were abroad due to the political status in South Africa. He finished his career with 46 wins, one loss and two draws. His 12 successful defences of the junior-lightweight title are a record for that boxing division.