Image credit: supplied
Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Bruce has repeatedly mentioned that he has a strong sense of who will make up the majority of his 23-26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, Canada and the United States.
But has he decided yet? No, and with just weeks to go before the World Cup begins, the pressure is mounting on fans to find out.
Bafana Bafana will open their campaign against co-hosts Mexico on 11 June 2026 First Further matches against Czechia and South Korea.
See also: World Cup news: Teams announce their squads
squad speculation
The likes of Ronwan Williams, Teboho Mokoena, Aubrey Modiba and Oswin Apolis can feel certain that if they are fully fit, they will be at the World Cup.S He is usually Hugo Bruce's preferred starting line-up in most international matches.
However, Bruce has made frequent substitutions in recent months, notably in the last two March friendlies against Panama following their exit from the round of 16 at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco. So, there may still be time for a few surprises.
Team selections have rarely been universally approved during his five-year tenure. As Bafana head towards their first World Cup in 16 years, the South African Football Association (SAFA) looks to be fully supporting their Belgian coach. Despite his eccentricities, Hugo has earned the trust of the South African public, as the team successfully qualified for both the AFCON and the World Cup.
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Players to consider
One thing is for sure: the team with the most selected players will be between Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates, who are arguably the best two teams in the PSL at the moment. Players like:
- Goalkeeper Sipho Chen for Orlando Pirates: Sipho was turned down March Panama friendly. This increased speculation about his future in the national team. If he is missing out on the team once again, it probably won't be purely for footballing reasons, as he has been tremendous in the PSL.
- Goalkeeper Sage Stephens for Stellenbosch FC: A steady hand for Stellenbosch as captain and goalkeeper, Sage Stephens would be a good replacement for Ronwen Williams. Additionally, Stephens has previously featured for Bruce's Bafana squad and the Stellenbosch FC goalkeeper's form has improved in recent months.
- Centre-back Mbekezeli Mbokazi for Chicago Fire FC: Mbokazi is fast turning into a star for the Bafana Bafana team and is playing regularly for the national team.
- Fullback Khuliso Mudau for Mamelodi Sundowns: Mudau was not at his best against Panama, but he remains South Africa's best right-back by some distance.
- Relebohile Mofokeng, midfielder for Orlando Pirates: President “Yama2k”, how can he leave the World Cup? Mofokeng was dropped from Bruce's squad at the end of Bafana Bafana's World Cup qualifying campaign. He He is one of the team's rising stars and is now a potential starter as he has rediscovered his spark for the Pirates.
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Featured Image:Supplied
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