"We are not afraid of Nigeria" - Ronwen Williams shares Bafana Bafana's mindset ahead of crucial clash

A win in this match would all but secure a spot at the 2026 World Cup.

Details: Tonight, the marquee fixture of Group C in the World Cup qualifiers will see South Africa face Nigeria in the eighth round of group play.

To mark the occasion, SABCSport published comments from Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams, who spoke about the team's mood and expectations heading into the match:

"It's been a long time since we've beaten Nigeria, and yes, we've had some positive results—like earning a draw away in Nigeria—which shows we're growing as a team. We are not afraid of Nigeria.

We're getting closer and closer to beating them. We saw that in the Africa Cup of Nations semi-final and in our last qualifier, so hopefully tomorrow we can take another big step forward," Williams admitted.

• See also: Cyprus vs Romania H2H, prediction and probable line-ups — September 9, 2025

South Africa and Nigeria are among the fiercest rivals on the African continent. Their last encounter ended in a 1-1 draw. At the moment, Bafana Bafana sit atop the group with 16 points, while Nigeria are third with 10.

Reminder: Good news for Bafana Bafana. Osimhen will not help Nigeria in the next match