Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has questioned the decision to move their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier match against Lesotho from Free State Stadium to the Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium in Bloemfontein.
With two crucial FIFA World Cup qualifiers looming, Bafana Bafana’s schedule has been adjusted. The national team will first face Lesotho on Friday, 5 September, before taking on Nigeria on Tuesday, 9 September.
Both matches were initially set for the Free State Stadium in Mangaung. However, the game against Lesotho has been relocated to the nearby Petrus Molemela Stadium.
This venue change was reportedly necessitated by a directive from the Lesotho Football Association [LEFA] due to significant concerns over the playing surface at the Free State Stadium.
As Lesotho lacks stadiums that meet CAF and FIFA international standards, they are hosting their home qualifier on South African soil.
HUGO BROOS QUESTIONS DECISION TO TAKE BAFANA BAFANA’S WORLD CUP QUALIFIER TO DR PETRUS MOLEMELA STADIUM
“First of all, we played in Bloemfontein, and I went to see the pitch last week. It was awful, really awful, such a bad pitch,” Broos told journalists during Bafana’s media open day on Monday at Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto.
“Then, there has been a control of FIFA and CAF. I don’t know when, but suddenly we got a message on Saturday that we won’t play at the stadium [ because of the condition of the pitch.
“We didn’t know where we had to play. We contacted Lesotho, and they didn’t know anything about it. Yesterday [Sunday], we received a letter that we will play at the second stadium in Bloemfontein, the little stadium, and not at the big stadium,” Broos explained further.
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“How is that possible? I don’t know. The first game is Lesotho, who are organising it. So yeah, we have to accept what it is.
“I don’t know where the decision comes from. But CAF and FIFA controlled the pitch, and that is the decision they made, and we have to take it like it is.”
“In that letter, it was written that because of the condition of the pitch, the game will be changed to another stadium, the little stadium.
Bafana Bafana are currently at the top of Group C in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers, with four matches remaining.
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