Overview
- Benin and South Africa are level on 14 points with Benin ahead on goal difference (+4 to +3), while Nigeria sit third on 11 with two matches remaining.
- FIFA docked South Africa three points and overturned their 2-0 win over Lesotho to a 3-0 technical defeat for using the suspended midfielder Teboho Mokoena.
- South Africa face Zimbabwe at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium on 10 October before hosting Rwanda in Mbombela on 14 October, with Zimbabwe designated as the home team due to stadium standards.
- Nigeria visit Lesotho before a final game against Benin, who close with trips to Rwanda and then Nigeria, setting up permutations that could decide the group winner.
- Group winners qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup, while runners-up enter a ranking and CAF play-off route that leads to Africa’s lone place in the inter-confederation play-offs.