2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers: Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams excited by return to Ivory Coast after Afcon heroics as Hugo Broos' side face Benin - 'It’s a wonderful feeling to be back where we have wonderful memories'

On February 10, 2024, during Afcon in Ivory Coast, Bafana Bafana faced the DRC in the third-place playoff and triumphed on penalties to claim bronze.

Now, they return to the same venue for a crucial Fifa World Cup qualifier against Benin, knowing that a victory will take them to 13 points, strengthening their grip on Group C's top spot.

Speaking to the media, captain Ronwen Williams highlighted the significance of returning to Ivory Coast a year later.

He emphasized that the team must focus on execution and maintaining composure.

Williams also acknowledged the challenge Benin poses but remained confident in the squad's preparation.

The team aims to build on their recent performances and edge closer to World Cup qualification.

“It’s a wonderful feeling to be back, where we have wonderful memories from the previous Afcon, so it’s good to be here again,” Williams said as reported by iDiski Times.

“It’s going to be a tough one, Benin is a very good team, but we believe in our qualities, we believe in what we’ve been building over the last year, but we’re looking forward to the game.

“A tough game, a lot of challenges, but the team is strong enough to overcome all these challenges, we’re excited, looking forward to it, we know how vital and important this game is for Group C, we know we can open a gap, and we know a gap can be closed as well.

“So, this is a big game in this qualifying round, it’s the halfway mark now and after tomorrow you will have an idea who the favourites are in the group. We want to be there and stay on top of this group.”

“There’s not much I need to say, we know these are World Cup qualifiers, we all have big dreams to be there next year, and just sitting on top of the log, the standings at the moment, it’s a huge motivation in itself,” he said.

“For us, it’s just to make sure that when this qualifying campaign is over, we’re on top, so that is the motivation going into the game, that when the final whistle goes, we’re still on top. We’ve worked so hard, we’ve had an almost perfect campaign, bar the Rwanda game but that’s how football is and we’re just excited and happy we’ve turned it around.

“We didn’t start on a good note, but we’ve turned it around by collecting maximum points in our last few games so that is the motivation, just to stay on top.”

With fresh memories of their 2024 Afcon campaign at Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Bafana Bafana faced an unexpected setback in their pre-match routine.

The team was denied the opportunity to train at the stadium, which is usually permitted a day before the game.

Head coach Hugo Broos expressed his frustration, stating that such restrictions disrupt their preparation and should not happen at this level.

Despite this, the Belgian tactician remains focused on extending their unbeaten run.

Bafana Bafana have not lost a game in open play since their opening Afcon 2024 fixture.

Their remarkable streak now stands at 17 matches, showcasing their consistency.

Benin are the next opponents and are just two points behind Bafana Bafana, making this a crucial clash in the Fifa World Cup qualifiers and the South Africans will aim for a strong performance and maximum points in Ivory Coast.