Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has announced
his final 26-member squad of players that will represent the country at the
2026 FIFA World Cup.
The announcement was made at Sefako Makgatho
Presidential Guest House in Pretoria, and was attended by President Cyril
Ramaphosa, Sports, Arts, and Culture Gayton McKenzie and South African
Football Association (SAFA) President Dr Danny Jordaan.
The squad is dominated by players from Betway
Premiership champions Orlando Pirates and CAF Champions League champions,
Mamelodi Sundowns, as the Belgian stuck with the tried and tested players.
There was however a surprise inclusion of
Kaizer Chiefs left back, Bradley Cross, who is the only Amakhosi player
included in the squad.
Broos and is one of the two uncapped players in
the squad, including Olwethu Makhanya.
The coach says there was some hard decisions to
make when finalising the squad.
“It is always when you make a list of players you
always disappoint some players.
I know the disappointment of the players we had
to drop tonight; it’ll be very hard.
It’s a World Cup? Who doesn’t want to go to the
World Cup?
I hope I chose the right ones,” said Broos.
Some of the surprise exclusions includes Kaizer
Chiefs goalkeeper Brandon Petersen, and his teammate, Thabiso Monyane, Orlando
Pirates playmaker Patrick Maswanganyi, and veteran Mamelodi Sundowns wing-back
Thapelo Morena.
Meanwhile, Ramaphosa congratulated the selected
players and urged them to be good ambassadors of the country at the tournament.
“When you arrive in Mexico City, you will be
carrying with you the dreams of more than 60 million South Africans.
We are with you, behind you and beside you all
the way.
Bafana Bafana are our emissaries of hope and
the standard-bearers of the national flag.
The diversity of our squad and technical team
is a reminder to the world that in our constitutional democracy there is room
and opportunity for all to realise their potential and fulfil their dreams,”
remarked Ramaphosa.
Bafana will start their World Cup campaign
against host nation Mexico on 11 June at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico.
Canada and the USA are also co-hosting the
tournament from 11 June to 19 July 2026.
The team will play their final match in the
country against Nicaragua at the Amstel Arena in Orlando on Friday, and another
a friendly match against Jamaica in Mexico as part of the team’s final preparations
for the World Cup.
