Big calls ahead: Broos finalising last 30% of Bafana World Cup squad

Hugo Broos has admitted that only a few places remain up for grabs in his Bafana Bafana squad as he intensifies preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

South Africa face Panama on Tuesday night in what is expected to be their final fixture on home soil before their tournament opener against Mexico on June 11 at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Ahead of the clash, the head coach discussed how close he is to finalising his roster as they aim to become the first South African national team to advance beyond the group stages of the global showpiece.

“Let’s say 70% of the selection is already in my head and will also be there in May,” Broos revealed regarding his options with just 72 days to go until the tournament begins.

“Everything depends a little bit on the fitness of players; maybe in the next weeks they will not play with their teams or [suffer] injuries, those kinds of things. But 70-75% of the 23—or 26, that is something I have to decide—is already in my head. I will not change, even if tomorrow we play a bad game.”

While he has not officially named the travelling party, Broos indicated following Friday’s match that should the fit-again Themba Zwane maintain his current levels, he will be on the plane to Mexico.

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“But there are still some positions that I want to see in the next weeks before I make my choice,” Broos added. “There is still some work to do because we are going to the World Cup. This is something different. We still have to work on some details to become better. During the 10–12 days we work together just before the World Cup, we will try to put the details together and be more ready than we are now.”

The second friendly against Panama at a sold-out Cape Town Stadium represents a significant turnaround in fortunes for a team that previously struggled to attract supporters. Beyond delivering a performance in their home farewell, South Africa will also look to keep their unbeaten home record under the Belgian mentor intact.

“I was very satisfied with the way we played and the performance on Friday,” the 73-year-old reflected on the Moses Mabhida Stadium showdown. “Our AFCON campaign in December was not good for different reasons, so I wanted to instil a mentality and discipline in the team, and I think we succeeded. I was happy with the performance, the mentality, and the discipline—I was happy with everything, except a few tactical things in the game.”

Broos also praised the supporters who turned out in large numbers, many sporting the popular, newly launched green Adidas away jersey.

“I was also happy with the crowd on Friday because that was a little question mark for me; the reactions after AFCON were not so positive,” Broos admitted. “It was normal that it was not positive. But the South African people were there in the stadium, and I could not believe it when they told me it would be a full house tomorrow."

“That means people still believe in their team, who gave them fantastic performances over the last few years, and that they are still behind us. We will need them again tomorrow. From our side, we are ready to give them a nice evening, and that is what we are going to try to do.”