Hugo Broos has announced his 37-man preliminary squad ahead of the upcoming World Cup qualifiers later this month.
The squad will be tasked with securing crucial points as they continue their push for a spot in the 2026 global spectacle.
Bafana Bafana will first face Lesotho at home on March 21 at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane. Just four days later, they will travel to Benin to take on the West African side in their second qualifier of the international break.
Currently, Broos’ team is in a tight race for qualification, sitting in second place in Group C with seven points, tied with both Rwanda and Benin. Lesotho is in fourth place with five points, closely trailing the top teams, while Nigeria, the favorites in the group, are currently in fifth place above basement dwellers Zimbabwe. This makes the upcoming fixtures crucial for Broos and his squad to maintain their position and stay in contention for a World Cup berth.
The Belgian coach has included several new faces in his squad, giving fresh opportunities to players who have been impressing domestically. Among the notable inclusions are Khulumani Ndamane and Samukelo Kabini, both from TS Galaxy, who are making their first appearance in the senior national team setup. Furthermore, he has called up Orlando Pirates’ Deano Van Rooyen and Sekhukhune United’s Siphesihle Mkhize.
Another notable inclusion is Burnley FC striker Lyle Foster. After a lengthy injury, the ex-Orlando Pirates man has recovered and is set to return to international football.
The seventy-two year old will be looking to see how his latest selection will integrate with the central core of his Bafana Bafana set up as he fine-tunes his selection ahead of the final matchday squad, which will be named closer to the fixture dates. Kick off at the Peter Mokaba Stadium is scheduled for 18:00 on 21 March 2025.