'Disgrace to Africa' — Nigerians blame poor refereeing for Super Eagles draw against South Africa

Nigeria’s slim hopes of reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup were dealt another blow after being held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by South Africa in Bloemfontein, and fans are blaming the referee.

Despite Calvin Bassey’s first-ever Super Eagles goal cancelling out William Troost-Ekong’s own goal, the result leaves Nigeria six points behind Bafana Bafana with just two matches left to play.

The game started with South Africa on the front foot, forcing Stanley Nwabali into an early save before disaster struck for Nigeria.

Captain William Troost-Ekong turned the ball into his own net to hand Bafana Bafana the lead, silencing the visiting fans.

But just before the interval, Calvin Bassey came to the rescue, bundling in an equaliser that sparked celebrations, although replays showed the ball struck his hand on its way in. Without VAR in the stadium, the referee allowed the goal to stand, and the sides went into the break level.

The second half offered little in terms of clear chances, and in the end, Nigeria had to settle for a point, leaving them stuck on 11 points while South Africa extended their grip on Group C with 17.

While the result was disappointing, much of the post-match reaction centred on controversial referee Pierre Ghislain Atcho as many Nigerians felt the Gabonese official lost control of the contest and made questionable decisions.

Popular comedian ShankComics led the backlash on social media, posting on his X account: “Disgrace to FIFA! DISGRACE TO AFRICA. See Referee. Nice game Super Eagles.” Others piled on, branding the referee “a disgrace to football” and questioning how he even obtained a refereeing license.

Some fans even hinted at deeper conspiracies, pointing to a “pattern” in Bafana Bafana games that looked suspicious. One fan wrote: “When Bafana Bafana Vs Uganda, the game looked questionable and rigged. Now against Nigeria, the same pattern repeats. Something deeper is at play here.”

With just two qualifiers left, Nigeria’s World Cup hopes now rest not only on their performances but also on a pending CAF and FIFA decision regarding South Africa’s use of an ineligible player earlier in the campaign.