South Africa’s Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, has openly declared that he does not want Nigeria’s Super Eagles to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
McKenzie made the remark while discussing the controversy that surrounded Bafana Bafana’s qualification campaign, in which Nigeria played a significant role.
During the qualifiers, South Africa were docked three points and three goals after fielding an ineligible player, Teboho Mokoena, in a match against Lesotho.
Nigeria, alongside Lesotho and Benin Republic, had lodged protests to FIFA over the issue, prompting the world football governing body to take disciplinary action.
Despite the sanction, Bafana Bafana still topped Group C with 18 points, one point ahead of Nigeria, to seal their World Cup playoff spot.
Speaking after his country’s qualification, McKenzie made it clear that he holds no goodwill toward Nigeria over their involvement in the case.
“I heard you earlier saying that we (South Africa) will also root for Nigeria,” McKenzie said in an interview posted on X by South African journalist Robert Marawa.
“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.
“Nigeria must not go to the World Cup. Another African country must go.”
The Super Eagles, however, still have a pathway to qualification through the African playoffs scheduled to hold in Morocco in November.
They are set to face Gabon in the semi-finals, and if successful, will meet either Cameroon or DR Congo in the final.
Should they advance, Nigeria will then move on to the intercontinental playoffs slated for March in Mexico.
