Thanks to a stroke of luck, Bafana Bafana will play all remaining WC qualifiers on home soil

In a stroke of remarkable fortune, Bafana Bafana enjoy a distinctly advantageous position heading into the remaining four fixtures of the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.

Neighbours Lesotho and Zimbabwe play their home fixtures in South Africa, so these matches become home fixtures for Bafana Bafana. The gods are smiling on Bafana, significantly boosting their chances of a 2026 World Cup ticket. Presently Bafana lead Group C by five points ahead after six games.

In the other two matches, South Africa will host Nigeria and Rwanda. After last week's match in Benin, the campaign continues with a game against hosts Lesotho on September 1. Very likely Lesotho will choose the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. A few days later, Bafana will host Nigeria in their eighth (out of 10) group match.

Qualifiers restart in early October when Zimbabwe host South Africa. Zimbabwe have chosen Durban and Orlando Stadium as their home venue for past fixtures. South Africa's group phase play ends when they host Rwanda a week later.

No one ever thought that drawing fellow COSAFA countries in the same group would end up being so advantageous for Bafana.

It is pointless doing projections of what points tally South Africa need to win Group C and gain automatic selection to next year's World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. South Africa is waiting to hear if they will be punished for playing an ineligible player in a match against Lesotho next week.

Lesotho Football Association (LEFA) Secretary General Mokhosi Mohapi yesterday informed SAFA that his association has written to FIFA, saying they are withdrawing the "issue against the South African Football Association".

Although this is good news it still does not mean that FIFA will not pursue the matter. There are cases in which countries have defaulted, and FIFA took action even though countries did not lodge protests.

As the clock ticks down to the qualifiers' conclusion, the excitement and uncertainty surrounding Bafana will undoubtedly engage fans across the country, eager to see if fortune does indeed favour the brave.

Meanwhile, retired Johannesburg referee Victor Gomes became the first South African to be appointed to the Technical Advisory Panel of the International Football Association Board for the next two-year cycle. They advise IFAB on matters related to the Laws of the Game, including potential changes and improvements.