South Africa’s Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, has expressed his desire for Nigeria’s Super Eagles to miss out on the 2026 World Cup. This statement comes in response to Nigeria’s involvement in South Africa’s complex qualifying process.

The Bafana Bafana, South Africa’s national team, faced a setback when they were deducted three points and three goals for fielding an ineligible player in a match against Lesotho. Nigeria was among the countries that protested the incident and called for FIFA to take action. Despite this, South Africa’s team, under the leadership of Hugo Broos, managed to finish top of Group C, just one point ahead of Nigeria.

In a recent interview shared by South African journalist Robert Marawa on X, Minister McKenzie clarified his stance on the matter. He stated, “I want to make it very clear: I wish for them not to qualify. I just want to make that one clear. They tried… I knew what they did behind the scenes. I want them to lose.” McKenzie further emphasized his hope that another African country would qualify for the World Cup instead of Nigeria.

The minister’s comments reflect the tensions and complexities that can arise in international football competitions. As the qualifying process for the 2026 World Cup continues, the dynamics between teams and their supporters will likely remain a key aspect of the story. With several African countries still in contention, the road to the World Cup will be closely watched by fans across the continent.

The 2026 World Cup qualifying process has already seen its share of surprises and controversies, with various teams facing challenges and setbacks. As the competition progresses, it will be interesting to see how the different teams navigate these challenges and which ones ultimately emerge victorious. For now, the focus will be on the remaining qualifying matches and the eventual selection of the teams that will participate in the 2026 World Cup.