After a 16-year absence from the world stage, the South Africa national football team is headed back to 2026 FIFA World Cup.
bafana bafana confirmed their 26-man squad on Wednesday ahead of what will be their fourth appearance at the tournament and first since hosting the competition in 2010.
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The team is built around the domestic game, with 16 players coming from South Africa's two major clubs, Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates. The group also has a European contingent, including Lyle Foster, who plays for burnley And he is expected to lead in the tournament.
South Africa has been drawn in Group A along with the Mexico national football team, the Czech Republic national football team and the South Korea national football team.
Their return to the World Cup begins with the tournament's opening match against hosts Mexico on June 11 at the Azteca Stadium.
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For a country that has waited more than a decade to return to football's biggest stage, just getting back is important already. Now South Africa will be hoping that this generation can make a bigger impact than the team that bowed out on home soil in 2010 after losing by a narrow margin.