National Teams
2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: Bafana Bafana suffer injury setbacks for Nigeria clash

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
South Africa defender, Grant Kekana will miss Friday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers against Nigeria as well as their other match with Zimbabwe as a result of injury.
Nigeria and South Africa go toe-to-toe in a rematch of this year’s Africa Cup of Nations first semi-final, which the Super Eagles trumped 4-2 after a penalty shootout at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake.
The head coach of Bafana Bafana, Hugo Broos confirmed the injury update and his replacement during a press conference ahead of this week’s game.
“First of all. Some injury news. Grant Kekana left the camp after a medical check-up. The doctor couldn’t give us a guarantee that Grant would be ready for Friday’s game. Even worse today and tomorrow, he was unable to train. Then we have the trip to Nigeria ahead of Thursday’s pre-match training,” Broos said during the press conference at the Dobsonville Stadium.
“He [Kekana] is not ready for Friday and there was a question mark for Tuesday’s game. Those are two important games and therefore we decided to free Grant to go.
“We replaced him with Shimango from Kaizer Chiefs.”
Apart from Kekana, Broos also gave an update on players of Mamelodi Sundowns who had knocks ahead of the match.
“There is also a little problem with Teboho Mokoena, Aubrey Modiba, Bathusi Aubass, and Ronwen Williams. Nothing to worry about but okay with little problem but it will give us no problem for the game on Friday. The guys will train with us. Ronwen less because he had a shoulder knock but he rests we don’t make the problem about that but I have to mention that those four players are the little problems.” He continued.
While speaking on knocks on Sundowns players, the former Cameroon gaffer however is concerned over injuries to Sundowns players ahead of crucial games.
He hoped their club could make his work easier by reducing the workload on their players.
“It is amazing that from the six injury players that we have they are from the same team, Mamelodi Sundowns. Sundowns have many injuries this season. We know. Everybody knows. One of the reasons is the overload of the players. They played a lot of games but what is interesting is that 75% of the injuries are groin and hamstring injuries and I think there has to be something more than that.” He said.
“I hope that the medical staff of Sundowns can find the reasons for that because next season, it will be exactly the same. They will have the same overloaded program in the Premier Soccer League (PSL), MTN, Champions League, and even the Club World Cup at the end of the season.
“I am a little bit worried because in September, October, and November, we have probably the qualifiers for AFCON. Imagine that the same situation is what it is today and I have to miss six players. Everybody knows that the best of Bafana Bafana is Sundowns players. It worries me a little bit that we could have a situation in September of having five or six players we can’t select because of injuries.
“I really hope that the medical staff can find the problem because again the same injuries are coming back every time, groin and hamstrings and can only be from overloading programs.
“It worries me a little bit. It’s not a problem for now but again we have very important games in front of us and I hope in September, October, or November for those important games that we don’t have those problems.” He concluded.