South Africa vs Nigeria: Where to watch, time, probable lineups and prediction

The Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein will host South Africa vs Nigeria on Tuesday 9 September. In this article, we'll provide the Super Eagles match time and probable lineups.

Where to watch South Africa vs Nigeria live

Kick-off time for South Africa vs Nigeria is 17:00 WAT. This 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying game will be available on Supersport for fans who reside in Nigeria. Meanwhile, South Africans can catch all the action live on SABC Sport, and Supersport.

Probable South Africa vs Nigeria lineups

Nigeria coach Eric Chelle will not be able to call upon the services of Victor Osimhen, as the Galatasaray forward has been forced out of camp due to a bruised shin. There are also fitness doubts over captain William Ekong, who was left out of the starting lineup for the slim but vital win over Rwanda.

On the other hand, Bafana Bafana will have to do without right-back Nyiko Mobbie, who went off injured with a fractured eye socket during their victory over Lesotho.

Nigeria

Goalkeeper: Stanley Nwabali.
Defenders: Ola Aina, William Ekong, Calvin Bassey, Bruno Onyemaechi.
Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi, Frank Onyeka, Alex Iwobi.
Forwards: Tolu Arokodare, Ademola Lookman, Moses Simon.

South Africa

Goalkeeper: Ronwen Williams.
Defenders: Thapelo Morena, Aubrey Modiba, Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Khuliso Mudau.
Midfielders: Teboho Mokoena, Sipho Mbule, Thalente Mbatha.
Forwards: Lyle Foster, Oswin Appollis, Mohau Nkota.

South Africa vs Nigeria: The referee

Gabonese referee Pierre Ghislain Atcho will officiate Tuesday's World Cup qualifier between South Africa and Nigeria.

While the 31-year-old will officiate a Super Eagles game for the first time in his career, he was the referee for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2024) Round of 16 tie between Senegal and Ivory Coast, putting in a highly contentious performance which saw him dropped for the rest of the tournament.

Quick stats

Bafana Bafana have a poor track record against the Super Eagles, with just two wins in 16 encounters.
Hugo Broos’ troops have not lost in any of their last five World Cup qualifiers, going back to a 2-0 defeat to Rwanda in Kigali in the opening window of the 2026 series.

South Africa vs Nigeria: Analysis of the match

There's a lot at stake here, as both teams are battling for a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. At the time of publishing, South Africa are top on the group table with 16 points, six points better off than the Super Eagles in third place.

Despite the absence of Victor Osimhen, Nigeria have an abundance of attacking talent, with players like Christantus Uche, Ademola Lookman, Tolu Arokodare and Cyriel Dessers available for selection.

Both teams have been involved in a lot of low-scoring games in recent months, so we shouldn't expect a lot of goals in this encounter.

South Africa vs Nigeria: Head to head record

This will be the 17th meeting between Nigeria and South Africa. The Super Eagles have won eight of the previous meetings, with six draws and two losses.

The first South Africa vs Nigeria clash took place in October 1992, while their most recent encounter was at the AFCON earlier this year. Nigeria emerged victorious the last two times these teams met.