It’s a last throw of the dice for places in the Bafana Bafana final squad for the 2026 Fifa World Cup, co-hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada in June.
Coach Hugo Broos’ side will this week play against Central American side Panama in a two-match series that will commence on Friday at the Moses Mabhida Stadium. The second match against The Canal Men, as Panama are affectionately known, will be played at the Cape Town Stadium four days later on Tuesday.
The encounter will allow fringe players, who may have missed the recent Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, an opportunity to raise their hands and make the final squad when Broos selects his soldiers to represent Mzansi at the World Cup.
Broos has dropped some of Bafana stars such Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Sipho Chaine and Sipho Mbule, who will have to fight for their places in the team. Other players that were excluded due to form, injury, or technical decisions, include Mohau Nkota, Siyabonga Ngezana, Bathusi Aubaas, and Elias Mokwana.
Broos has opened the doors for a number of star players. Jayden Adams makes a return into the fold and Bongokuhle Hlongwane, who plays for MLS side Minnesota United, who has not featured for Bafana since 2023, has also been roped back in.
Thapelo Maseko and Mamelodi Sundowns talisman and veteran Themba “Mshishi” Zwane, Ime Okon and Renaldo Leaner will get another chance to show Broos if they are worthy of staking a claim in the team.
Broos stressed the importance of discipline going into the friendlies and the World Cup. “First, you need quality. If it’s not there, that’s one thing. But if the attitude, mentality and discipline are missing, you can be the best player, and it still won’t help you,” Broos told the media at the squad announcement.
“Those things are very important. We had them at the previous Afcon and during the World Cup and Afcon qualifiers, but suddenly we lost them. I said before that the DNA of Bafana was no longer there. We have to reinstall that because it was the foundation of our success, including winning the bronze medal.”
The Belgian also called on the supporters in Durban and the Mother City to come in large numbers. “Come to the stadium and support us. The players do more when there is a difficult moment in the game, or when we play a difficult game (and a passionate crowd offers support in numbers).”
