OFM Sport can confirm that the Lesotho Football Association (LEFA) has received a directive from FIFA to change the venue for Friday’s crucial Group C clash against South Africa in Bloemfontein.

At this stage, the match is still scheduled to be played at the Toyota Stadium, but FIFA has requested that it be moved to the Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium in Rocklands due to the condition of the pitch. Urgent meetings have been taking place in a bid to find a last-minute solution.

Hugo Broos. Photo: Morgan Piek

FIFA, CAF (Confederation of African Football) and LEFA are still in discussions, with a final decision expected by Tuesday morning.

The Toyota Stadium, home of the Toyota Cheetahs, has hosted four of their Currie Cup fixtures this season. However, concerns about the playing surface date back to the 2025 COSAFA Cup held in Bloemfontein earlier this year, when the stadium staged most of the matches – with as many as three international games played on the same field per day. 

The Cheetahs themselves rent the stadium from the city and have largely avoided using the pitch recently, instead training across the road at Old Grey’s. Several players reportedly picked up injuries while training there.

The Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium, which hosted the Siwelele FC vs Richards Bay and Marumo Gallants vs Polokwane City PSL matches this past weekend, is in excellent condition and far better suited to international football. However, its 22,000 capacity is less than half of the Toyota Stadium’s 45,000. Nicknamed the “Slaughterhouse”, Molemela also hosted COSAFA Cup matches, albeit far fewer than its bigger counterpart in Willows.

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos conducted a site inspection last week and described the Toyota Stadium pitch as “awful”. As a result, SAFA decided the national team would train at Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto and only travel to Bloemfontein on Thursday, rather than Monday as initially planned.

Monde Mpambaniso during Sunday's PSL game between Marumo Gallants and Polokwane City at the Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium. Photo: Morgan Piek

Broos, who is frustrated by the situation, admitted that it is beyond their control, with LEFA being the official hosts of Friday’s fixture.

“Then third is the pitch – it’s a saga. I’ve already called it the Bloemfontein saga,” said Broos.

“First of all, we played in Bloemfontein against Zimbabwe last year. I went to see the pitch last week. It was awful. Really awful. Such a bad pitch.

“Then there has been a control of FIFA and CAF. I don’t know when. So suddenly, we got a message on Saturday that we won’t play in the stadium because of the condition of the pitch. We didn’t know where we had to play.

Thakasani Mbanjwa during the 2025 COSAFA Cup final between South Africa and Angola at the Toyota Stadium in June. Photo: Morgan Piek

“We made contact with Lesotho, and they didn’t know anything about it. On Sunday, we received a letter that we will play in the second stadium, the little stadium, and not in the big stadium.

“So yeah, okay, I see you doing this. How is it possible? Yeah, I don’t know. I don’t know, but the first game, yeah, it’s Lesotho who is organising it. So yeah, we have to accept what it is. The other, yeah, I don’t know from where that decision comes, why suddenly CAF and FIFA controlled the pitches, but yeah, this is a decision they made, and we have to take it like it is.”

Kick-off for Friday’s World Cup qualifier between Lesotho and Bafana Bafana remains scheduled for 18:00.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek cvs