South Africa coach Hugo Broos has announced his 23-man squad for next month’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Nigeria,
Bafana Bafana will play Lesotho on September 5 at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein before welcoming Nigeria to the same venue four days later in what could prove decisive for their qualifying campaign. The Lesotho game will be an away match for South Africa.
Captain Ronwen Williams leads the invited players while the absence of defender Khuliso Mudua is glaring amid his ongoing omission from the Sundowns squad this season. Other keepers in the squad are Ricardo Goss of Siwelele FC and Sipho Chaine of Orlando Pirates FC
The defenders are Sydney Mobbie (Siwelele), Zuko Mdunyelwa, Aubrey Modiba (both Sundowns), Mbikezeli Mbokazi (Pirates), Khulumani Ndamane (TS Galaxy FC), Ime Okon (Hannover 96, Germany), Samukelo Kabini (Molde FK, Norway) and Siyabonga Ngezana (FCSB FC, Romania).
Embattled midfielder Teboho Mokoena leads the pack in the middle, and he is joined by Bathusi Aubaas (both Sundowns), Luke Le Roux (Portsmouth FC, England) and Thalente Mbatha (Pirates).
The forwards in the squad are; Kamogelo Sebelebele, Oswin Appollis, Patrick Maswanganyi, Relebohile Mofokeng (all Pirates), Iqraam Rayners (Sundowns), Lyle Foster (Burnley FC, England), Mduduzi Shabalala (Kaizer Chiefs FC) and Mohau Nkota (Al-Ettifaq FC, Saudi Arabia
Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle, had also released a 31-man provisional squad last week, but the Franco-Malian coach is battling a selection headache with some of his stars, including goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali is currently injured
South Africa are top of Group C with 13 points after six matches. They, however, face a potential three-point deduction for fielding an ineligible Mokoena the last time they faced Lesotho.
Rwanda and Benin are second and third with eight points each, while Nigeria are fourth with seven points, followed by Lesotho on six points and Zimbabwe with four points
(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)
