Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos is seeing red ahead of South Africa’s crucial 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifier against Benin on Tuesday. The veteran tactician has been left frustrated after learning that his team won’t be allowed to train at the Stade Félix Houphouët Boigny in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, a day before the match.
Benin, unable to host the fixture at home due to unsuitable stadiums, will play their ‘home’ game in Ivory Coast. However, a scheduling conflict has thrown a spanner in the works—Ivory Coast is set to face Gambia at the same venue on Monday night, leaving both Bafana and Benin without access to the pitch for a pre-match runout.
Broos is unimpressed, highlighting that Fifa rules entitle visiting teams to a one-hour training session on the match venue’s pitch the day before kickoff.
“I have to say, I’m really not satisfied with this decision,” Broos vented. “Fifa rules state that every team has the right to a 60-minute training session in the stadium where the match takes place.
"But now, suddenly, we can’t. I understand the situation because of the other game, but when those making the rules don’t follow them, it’s a big problem.”
The Bafana coach also questioned whether Benin had already trained at the venue, hinting at an unfair advantage.
“We have to follow the rules, but where are the rules now? People will say it applies to both teams, but I don’t think so. I believe Benin has already trained there because they arrived before us. This is not honest, and it’s not correct.”
Williams: "We Know How Big This Game Is"
Despite the frustration, Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams remains upbeat, relishing the return to Ivory Coast—where South Africa secured their Africa Cup of Nations bronze medal in February.
“It’s going to be a tough one,” Williams admitted. “Benin is a strong team, but we believe in ourselves and in what we’ve been building. This match is crucial—we can create a gap at the top, or the gap can close.
"It’s the halfway mark of the qualifiers, and after tomorrow, we’ll have a clearer picture of the group’s favourites. We want to be in that position and stay there.”
With tension mounting ahead of the high-stakes clash, all eyes will be on Bafana to see if they can overcome this latest hurdle and keep their World Cup dreams on track.