The final 26-man squad was officially announced in Pretoria ahead of Bafana Bafana’s departure for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Johannesburg, South Africa (28 May 2026) – Plenty of waving South African flags as fans packed out Rosebank on Wednesday to give Bafana Bafana a proper send-off ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
With the tournament now just weeks away, the energy around the national team is continuing to build as coach Hugo Broos officially announced his final 26-man squad for football’s biggest stage.
The squad announcement took place in Pretoria, where President Cyril Ramaphosa joined football officials and guests in wishing the team well before their journey to North America.
Broos’ squad also includes some exciting talking points, with uncapped defenders Olwethu Makhanya and Bradley Cross earning places in the final group. Veteran midfielder Themba Zwane, now 36, also made the squad, bringing valuable experience and leadership to the team, while Lyle Foster is expected to lead the attack.
But it was earlier in Johannesburg where supporters truly brought the gees.
Fans gathered in huge numbers at the Rosebank send-off event, creating a festive atmosphere as players interacted with supporters before their departure.
Before heading to the World Cup, Bafana will still have one more chance to play in front of local supporters when they face Nicaragua at Orlando Stadium on Friday evening.
The team will also take on Jamaica in Mexico as part of their final preparations before the global showpiece officially kicks off on 11 June.
The final Bafana Bafana 🇿🇦🔥 2026 FIFA World Cup squad is LOCKED IN! ⚽💛💚 From the safe hands in goal to the clinical forwards, these are the players who will represent South Africa on the global stage.
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— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) May 27, 2026
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