Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has called on CAF and FIFA to choose international venues more wisely after being forced to play on a waterlogged artificial pitch against Rwanda in Butare on Tuesday.
South Africa slumped to a 2-0 defeat at the Huye Stadium, where first-half goals from Innocent Nshuti (12′) and Gilbert Mugisha (28′) took the Wasps to the top of Group C in 2026 World Cup qualifying.
Broos refused to use the poor surface as an excuse for his side’s loss, but he declared it “unbelievable” that international football is allowed to be played at venues with artificial turf.
The Belgian tactician also questioned why his squad had to travel by bus for three hours to reach their destination in Butare after landing in Kigali on Monday.
“It’s unbelievable that a qualifier of the World Cup is played on such a pitch. It’s impossible, but okay it is what it is. I think CAF and FIFA have to be stricter in the rules… where you are going to play,” Broos said.
“You are talking about the qualifiers for the biggest tournament of professional football, the World Cup, and then you have to play on such a pitch? Secondly, I think it’s not normal when you arrive in a country that you still have to travel three hours by bus before you reach your final destination.
“[However] I will not say that these are the reasons we lost the game, no, not at all but I think those things have to change because we are in 2023. This pitch isn’t for professional [football]… but these are just remarks and they have nothing to do with the defeat.”
