With just hours to go until the official announcement of the final Bafana Bafana FIFA World Cup 2026 squad, fans don’t have much longer to wait to learn the identity of the 26 players who will represent the country at the tournament.
National coach Hugo Broos will name his final squad at the Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guest House at the Union Buildings in Pretoria from 19:00 live on SABC 3.
Broos will be joined by President Cyril Ramaphosa, SAFA president Danny Jordaan and senior government officials for the official send-off event.
BOOKMARK | FIFA World Cup 2026 | ALL the official 26-man squads
Broos last week named a 32-man preliminary squad. As per FIFA regulations, he will need to cut at least six players from that squad to leave a maximum of 26 players.
FIFA stipulates that all 48 of the countries competing need to name their final squads by Monday, 1 June and they need to be ‘between 23 and 26 players’.
Who will get the chop?
Predictably, everyone is suddenly an expert as to who should – and shouldn’t – board the plane for North America.
General consensus from those in the know is that the players below will feature in the final 26-man Bafana Bafana squad following the axing of Ricardo Goss, Olwethu Makhanya, Bradley Cross, Thabiso Monyane, Brooklyn Poggenpoel and Kamogelo Sebelebele from the preliminary squad.
No left-field, last minute surprises are expected.
Goalkeepers (3)
Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns), Sipho Chaine (Orlando Pirates), Brandon Petersen (Kaizer Chiefs)
Defenders (8)
Khuliso Mudau (Mamelodi Sundowns), Thabang Matuludi (Polokwane City), Nkosinathi Sibisi (Orlando Pirates), Aubrey Modiba (Mamelodi Sundowns), Khulumani Ndamane (Mamelodi Sundowns), Ime Okon (Hannover 96), Samukele Kabini (Molde FK), Mbekezeli Mbokazi (Chicago Fire)
Midfielders (5)
Teboho Mokoena (Mamelodi Sundowns), Jayden Adams (Mamelodi Sundowns), Lebohang Maboe (Kaizer Chiefs), Thalente Mbatha (Orlando Pirates), Sphephelo Sithole (CD Tondela)
Forwards (10)
Oswin Appollis (Orlando Pirates), Tshepang Moremi (Orlando Pirates), Evidence Makgopa (Orlando Pirates), Lyle Foster (Burnley), Iqraam Rayners (Mamelodi Sundowns), Relebohile Mofokeng (Orlando Pirates), Themba Zwane (Mamelodi Sundowns), Patrick Maswanganyi (Orlando Pirates), Thapelo Morena (Mamelodi Sundowns), Thapelo Maseko (AEL Limassol)
Bafana Bafana’s Group A FIFA World Cup 2026 fixtures
- Thursday, 11 June: Mexico vs South Africa, Estadio Azteca, Mexico City – 21:00 (SA time)
- Thursday, 18 June: Czech Republic vs South Africa, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta – 18:00 (SA time)
- Thursday, 25 June: South Africa vs South Korea, Estadio BBVA, Guadalupe – 03:00 (SA time)
Before departing for Mexico, Bafana Bafana will play a World Cup send-off friendly against Nicaragua at Orlando Stadium on Friday, 29 May, with kick-off scheduled for 18:00.
Dates and camp
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico, runs from 11 June to 19 July.
South Africa will be one of seven nations to be based in Mexico.
Bafana Bafana will call Pachuca – Universidad Del Futbol their home during the group stages.
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