Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has admitted that he will have a tough decision to make in the coming days when he must announce his final 2026 FIFA World Cup squad.
Broos revealed his World Cup preliminary squad on Thursday night, with some surprise inclusions in the team.
Bradley Cross, Thabiso Monyane, Lebohang Maboe, and in-form goalkeeper Brandon Petersen now all stand a chance to go to the World Cup after months of not having Kaizer Chiefs players in the national team.
Speaking to the media during the launch of the Honor 600 and 600 Pro phones in Midrand, Broos said that making up the preliminary squad was easy, but he will have a tough time trimming it to 26 players at the Union Building on Wednesday.
“It’s an exciting time and period for me because a few weeks ago we made a list of 50 players, so that was easy, 50 players are easy,” Broos said.
“So now the players will start the camp on Monday, which was already a little bit more difficult, but the most difficult of all will be next week, on the 27th, when we announce the 26 players.
“I’m sure there will be players not so happy, there will be players very disappointed, but that’s the choice I have to make, but I have a good assistant, Helman [Mkhalele], and I think next week, Monday, Tuesday, we will still have some meetings together to plan properly for the World Cup.”
With the 74-year-old Belgian set to step down as the Bafana coach after the World Cup, he briefly reflected on his five-year tenure in the hot seat, stating that sticking to his plan was key to his success.
“First of all, I am happy and proud to have been able to change things here in South Africa. I must also mention the players as well, because they made it happen.
“And as you said, there was nothing good in the beginning, and I think the best thing that I did was to stick to the plan. I was never tempted to change my philosophy. Even the critics did not derail me, as hard as they were at some moments, but for me, it was okay.
“I stuck to doing things my way, and I knew at the end we would have results. All we needed was a little bit of patience, and people now see the results that came. And now Bafana Bafana are respected all over Africa, and we will try now to gain the respect of the world,” he added.
- Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos announced a preliminary squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including surprising picks like Bradley Cross, Thabiso Monyane, Lebohang Maboe, and goalkeeper Brandon Petersen.
- Broos described selecting the preliminary 50-player list as easy, but trimming it to the final 26-man squad by June 27 will be a difficult decision.
- The final squad announcement will follow training camps and meetings with assistant coach Helman Mkhalele.
- Broos, 74, plans to step down after the World Cup and reflected positively on his five-year tenure, emphasizing his commitment to a consistent coaching philosophy despite criticism.
- He expressed pride in transforming the South African team’s reputation, stating Bafana Bafana is now respected across Africa and aiming to earn respect on the world stage.
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has admitted that he will have a tough decision to make in the coming days when he must announce his final 2026 FIFA World Cup squad.
Broos revealed his World Cup preliminary squad on
“It's an exciting time and period for me because a few weeks ago we made a list of 50 players, so that was easy, 50 players are easy,” Broos said.
“So now the players will start the camp on
“I'm sure there will be players not so happy, there will be players very disappointed, but that's the choice I have to make, but I have a good assistant, Helman [
“First of all, I am happy and proud to have been able to change things here in
“
“I stuck to doing things my way, and I knew at the end we would have results. All we needed was a little bit of patience, and people now see the results that came.
