Bafana Bafana announce preliminary squad for World Cup qualifiers
Zuko Komisa
Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has unveiled his preliminary squad for the upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Nigeria.
The squad sees the return of several key players from Mamelodi Sundowns after they were omitted from recent friendlies against Tanzania and Mozambique.
Among the notable inclusions is Sundowns right-back Khuliso Mudau, despite him not having made an appearance this season. Fellow Sundowns star Themba Zwane has also been named, although his club coach, Miguel Cardoso, has confirmed the midfielder will be out for two months with an injury picked up in a recent MTN8 match.
Other Sundowns players in the squad include Ronwen Williams, Fawaaz Basadien, and Teboho Mokoena.
Orlando Pirates are also heavily represented, with a number of players selected, including new signing Kamogelo Sebelebele and Relebohile Mofokeng. Two Pirates players, Deano van Rooyen and Nkosinathi Sibisi, are included but are currently nursing knocks and may not be part of the final team.
Kaizer Chiefs’ Mduduzi Shabalala and Bradley Cross will also be hoping to make the final cut.
The squad also features a contingent of players based overseas, including Lyle Foster, Siyabonga Ngezana, and Bongokuhle Hlongwane, who makes a welcome return to the national setup.
Bafana Bafana preliminary squad announcement for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Nigeria in September.
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🇱🇸 Lesotho
🇳🇬 Nigeria @SABC_Sport pic.twitter.com/3qEclFuDIx— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) August 21, 2025
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