By Wale Mustapha
South Africa head coach Hugo Broos has unveiled his provisional Bafana Bafana squad for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Nigeria.
The 2010 World Cup hosts will face Lesotho on September 5, before a high-stakes showdown with the Super Eagles in Bloemfontein four days later.
Broos has retained a core of regulars while also handing opportunities to new faces. Sipho Mbule, Mohau Nkota (fresh from his Saudi Arabia move), and Orlando Pirates youngsters Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Relebohile Mofokeng headline the inclusions.
Kaizer Chiefs duo Bradley Cross and Mduduzi Shabalala are also in the squad, while Mamelodi Sundowns’ Rothnie Williams leads the contingent from the reigning PSL champions.
However, injuries cast doubt on the availability of Khuliso Mudau and veteran playmaker Themba Zwane, who may miss out when Broos trims the squad to 23 players closer to kick-off.
Bafana Bafana currently top Group C with 13 points from six matches, ahead of Rwanda (8 points). Nigeria sit fourth with 7 points, having drawn 1-1 in the reverse fixture earlier this year, courtesy of Fisayo Dele-Bashiru’s late equaliser.
A win against Nigeria would take Broos’ men one step closer to their first World Cup appearance since 2010 on home soil.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
