Amavubi in light blue clearly struggled throughout the match
Rwanda’s hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup came to an end on Tuesday after suffering a 3–0 defeat to South Africa’s Bafana Bafana at Mbombela Stadium.
The Amavubi, who entered the match needing a win to stay in contention, were outclassed throughout the game as South Africa dominated possession and capitalized on defensive lapses.
The hosts took an early lead in the 5th minute, when Mbatha fired a powerful shot from outside the penalty area past goalkeeper Ntwari Fiacre.
Rwanda struggled to recover, and in the 26th minute, Appollis doubled South Africa’s advantage, finishing a loose ball in the box to make it 2–0 at halftime.
Despite a few second-half changes from coach Torsten Spittler, Rwanda failed to create clear chances. South Africa maintained control and sealed victory in the 72nd minute when Makgopa headed home from a corner to make it 3–0.
The result secured South Africa’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, marking their first appearance since 2010 and their fourth overall, following previous participations in 1998, 2002, and 2010.
For Rwanda, the loss ended a spirited qualifying campaign that began in November 2023. Amavubi finish fifth in their six-team group after playing 10 matches, with two wins, three draws, and five losses.
In other Group C action, Nigeria beat Benin 4–0 to finish second, but the result was not enough to overtake South Africa, who topped the group and claimed the only direct qualification slot.
