Bafana Bafana coach, Hugo Broos, has voiced his frustration over the condition of the Free State Stadium pitch in Bloemfontein, where South Africa is set to play its upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Nigeria.
The national team will first lock horns with Lesotho on September 5 before hosting the Super Eagles in a crucial clash four days later.
Despite recent expectations that the stadium would be in top shape following the COSAFA Cup in June, Broos expressed disappointment after inspecting the venue.
“I am a bit disappointed. I was in Bloemfontein and I saw the pitch,” Broos was quoted on iol.co.za.
“They had six weeks to fix it. I have observed the efforts made by other cities, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, and Polokwane. I am quite disappointed that they did not do the same.
“Even the training pitch in Bloemfontein is bad. Lesotho are the host (of the first game), so we can’t really complain. But then we have Nigeria, and we are disappointed.”
Broos’s concerns highlight the potential impact of the poor playing surface on his side’s performance, especially in such decisive fixtures.
As a result, Bafana Bafana will remain in Johannesburg until Thursday before traveling to Bloemfontein for the matches.
Currently, South Africa leads Group C with 13 points, while Nigeria trails in fourth place with seven. The first-leg encounter in Uyo ended 1-1, leaving everything to play for in the return fixture.
