Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has announced his final 23-man squad for South Africa’s crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Nigeria in September, Bold Sports reports.
The Belgian tactician had initially released a 48-man preliminary list last week but has now trimmed it down after careful consideration.
One of the notable inclusions is Ime Okon of Hannover 96, a defender of Nigerian descent, who earns his first senior national team call-up. The squad is heavily dominated by home-based players, with only six currently playing in foreign leagues.
South Africa have been one of the standout performers in the qualifiers so far, winning four of their six matches, drawing once, and suffering just one defeat which was a 2-0 loss to Rwanda at the Stade Huye in Butare.
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Their strong run leaves them top of Group C with 13 points, five ahead of second-placed Rwanda, and six ahead of Nigeria.
Broos’ side will also enjoy a unique advantage in the fixture against Lesotho, as the latter has opted to host their “home” game in South Africa, effectively giving Bafana Bafana a sense of familiarity even for the away fixture.
Meanwhile, Nigeria face a make-or-break situation in the group. The Super Eagles, currently sitting fourth with seven points, will first host Rwanda at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo before traveling to Bloemfontein to face South Africa.
With their World Cup hopes hanging in the balance, Nigeria will need victories in both games to avoid missing out on the global tournament for the second consecutive time.
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