Despite a frustrating goalless draw against Zimbabwe that severely complicated their 2026 World Cup qualification chances, Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams remains confident, stating the team “believes in fairytales” as they head into their final match.
Qualification Hangs in the Balance
The draw with the ten-man Warriors at the Moses Mabhida Stadium saw South Africa slip further behind in Group C. Bafana Bafana are now in second place, trailing leaders Benin by two points with only one game remaining.
Read: Bafana Bafana’s World Cup Permutation
To secure the automatic qualifying spot—as only group winners attend the 2026 World Cup finals—Bafana’s fate is no longer entirely in their hands. They face a must-win match against Rwanda at the Mbombela Stadium on Tuesday and must simultaneously hope that arch-rivals Nigeria can defeat Benin.
Reflecting on the situation, the captain admitted the emotional impact, but maintained a resilient outlook. “The morale is a bit down, we have made things a bit difficult for ourselves,” Williams told The Citizen. “We left it all on the field and you can’t fault the players’ effort or desire. Thanks to the fans for coming out and motivating us.”
A Score to Settle
Williams acknowledged that the recent setbacks have fueled doubt among the public, but insisted the team’s internal belief is unwavering.
“People will have doubts now, because if you look back a month everything looked clear,” he said. “But we still feel everything is working in our favour, we believe in fairytales.”
The skipper expressed confidence that their external requirement—a Nigeria win over Benin—will materialize. He pointed to the recent results, which saw Benin edge past Rwanda 1-0 while Nigeria defeated Lesotho 2-1.
“Now it is (also) down to Nigeria against Benin,” Williams added. “I can’t see Benin getting a result in Nigeria. It is just for us to get the job done.”
Williams stressed that their focus is squarely on their own fixture against Rwanda, a match they are determined to win.
He noted that Rwanda is the only team to have beaten Bafana Bafana in the current qualification cycle, giving the tie an added layer of motivation.
“We know how important the game will be. We have a score to settle with Rwanda, they are the only team that beat us (in qualifying),” he concluded.