Road to 2026: FIFA Confirms Bafana Bafana Squad Dates as Broos Eyes Early Final Call
 |
| Broos gets FIFA timeline |
Hugo Broos has until May 13 to submit Bafana’s provisional World Cup squad and must finalize 23-26 players by June 1. South Africa open the 2026 tournament vs Mexico on June 11 at the Azteca.
Broos says 70-75% of Bafana’s squad is already decided ahead of Mexico opener...
FIFA has released the timeline requiring Bafana Bafana boss Hugo Broos, along with the other 47 nations, to submit both preliminary and final squads for the 2026 World Cup hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
The timeline lays out the path to a final squad list that’s sure to spark plenty of discussion, with Broos allowed to pick 23 to 26 players.
The obvious move would be to choose the maximum allowed to guard against injuries, suspensions, or dips in form, yet Broos sounded hesitant about that approach when questioned last month.
He may also want to avoid carrying ‘passengers’ who are unlikely to play and could unsettle the group.
Broos must send FIFA a provisional squad of 35 to 55 players by May 13.
TAKE A BOW Mbekezeli Mbokazi! 😱 https://t.co/qerAS41fBh
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 31, 2026
He then has to cut that group to 23 to 26 players by June 1. With South Africa facing co-hosts Mexico in the World Cup opener at the Azteca Stadium on June 11, Broos plans to be settled in the team’s Pachuca base camp by that stage, which hints he’ll announce his final squad earlier, before the team travels.
FIFA also set May 25 as the compulsory release date for clubs to make players available. That means the Betway Premiership can’t run past that date. If it does, it will have to go ahead without any Bafana Bafana players.
Speaking last month ahead of the second friendly with Panama in Cape Town, Broos said he already had 70-75% of his final squad decided.
No comments:
Leave comment here