Hugo Broos Explains Makhanya & Cross Call-Ups for 2026 World Cup

Broos backs uncapped duo Makhanya & Cross

Hugo Broos explains selection of Olwethu Makhanya and Bradley Cross for 2026 World Cup. Bafana face Mexico, Czech Republic and South Korea in Group A after Nicaragua friendly.

Philadelphia Union’s Makhanya and Chiefs’ Cross get shock Bafana Bafana call-ups for 2026 World Cup. Broos cites form, left-back cover, and value to the squad as reasons...

Bafana Bafana boss Hugo Broos has revealed why he picked uncapped defenders Olwethu Makhanya and Bradley Cross for the 2026 World Cup squad.

Philadelphia Union’s Makhanya and Kaizer Chiefs left-back Cross haven’t played for South Africa yet, but both made Broos’ 26-man team announced Thursday night and could get their debut on football’s biggest stage.

Broos said the lack of caps wasn’t a concern. He’s tracked both players closely over time and believes they’ll bring real value to the group.

“We follow all the players and it is a lot of work,” Broos said. “Every Monday, (assistant coach) Helman (Mkhalele) and I are in the office and we go through the list we have – who played, did they play well, and so on. We follow them very closely.

“We were already thinking about calling Olwethu in March (against Panama), but for other reasons he was not there. We still followed him, so we know very well how our players are performing in their teams.”

Makhanya’s call-up has been on a lot of fans’ wish lists for a while, thanks to the form he’s been showing week in, week out in MLS.

“The performances of Makhanya in America are very good. He is playing every minute with his team. He is a good defender, he is tall, he is powerful - very important things in modern football.”

Broos said Cross got the nod because he’s stepped up at Chiefs, plus South Africa are thin at left-back with Aubrey Modiba absent. Modiba missed Sundowns’ second leg of the CAF Champions League final on Sunday even as they went on to lift the trophy.

“Bradley was with us, I think, two years ago or something (it was 2023),” Broos said. “He suffered a little bit from the level of Chiefs in recent years, but this season things went better for them.

“We also still have a little problem with Modiba, so I had to look at that. Normally there will be no problem for Modiba, but if there should be one, we only had (Samukelo (Kabini) on the left side (of defence).

“That was also a reason why we took Bradley with us, not the only one, but one of them.”

🇿🇦 @BafanaBafana head coach Hugo Broos explaining the decision to leave behind @KaizerChiefs goalkeeper Brandon Petersen from the 2026 FIFA World Cup squad. #SABCSport411 | #FIFAWC2026 | @AFC_2025 pic.twitter.com/QRvEzhpeKw

— Velile Mnyandu 🇿🇦 (@Velile_Mnyandu) May 28, 2026

Makhanya and Cross might get their first caps when Bafana face a young Nicaragua team in Orlando on Friday night, before the squad flies to their base in Pachuca, Mexico for the World Cup.

South Africa open their campaign against co-hosts Mexico on June 11. They then round out Group A against Czech Republic in Atlanta on June 18 and South Korea in Monterrey on June 24.