Orlando Pirates will no doubt have strong representation in Hugo Broos’s final Bafana Bafana FIFA World Cup 2026 squad.
The Buccaneers recently had six players in Broos’ 23-man squad named for back-to-back friendlies against Panama.
In addition, there were a couple of surprise omissions too.
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Let’s take a look at the full list of Bucs stars expected to be on the plane to the tournament in early June to be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
LIST OF ORLANDO PIRATES STARS EXPECTED TO MAKE THE CUT
- Relebohile Mofokeng
- Oswin Appollis
- Evidence Makgopa
- Tshepang Moremi
- Thalente Mbatha
- Nkosinathi Sibisi
- Sipho Chaine
Barring any major injuries, there is little doubt that Relebohile Mofokeng will be selected.
He has just scooped back-to-back Betway Premiership Player of the Month awards, making him the hottest player in the PSL right now.
Meanwhile, Oswin Appollis and Evidence Makgopa have featured prominently under Broos and are integral to his plans.
Tshepang Moremi’s pace and skill on the wing have proven difficult for opposition defenders across all competitions this season, and he is in red-hot form.
Similarly, midfielder Thalente Mbatha has been solid at the heart of the Bucs midfield.
Nkosinathi Sibisi is also widely expected to be one of the defenders named in Broos’s squad.
Of these seven Orlando Pirates stars, only Sipho Chaine was not included in the most recent Bafana Bafana squad.
However, as reported on The South African, his surprise exclusion came down to discipline, and he is still heavily favoured to join captain Ronwen Williams and Ricardo Goss as one of the three goalkeepers representing South Africa at FIFA World Cup 2026.
ALL HOPE IS NOT LOST FOR TALENTED BUCS DUO
All hope is not lost for Orlando Pirates midfielders Patrick Maswanganyi and Sipho Mbule.
After all, Maswanganyi is a former and recent recipient of the PSL Player of the Season award.
Meanwhile, Mbule missed out after battling a combination of injuries and disciplinary issues.
For the former, he is one of the stars with the best chance of still making it, especially as Bafana Bafana struggled to control and dominate the midfield against Panama.
Meanwhile, realistically, Mbule is likely to miss out.
Deadlines
All participating nations must submit an initial squad list of between 35 and 55 players to FIFA by 11 May, exactly one month before the tournament kicks off.
These provisional lists are confidential and will not be made public.
From the preliminary pool, teams must then confirm their final squads – consisting of 23 to 26 players, including three goalkeepers – by 1 June, 10 days before the opening match.
Bafana Bafana’s Group A Fixtures (SA time)
- Thursday, 11 June: Mexico vs South Africa, Estadio Azteca, Mexico City – 21:00
- Thursday, 18 June: Czech Republic vs South Africa, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta – 18:00
- Thursday, 25 June: South Africa vs South Korea, Estadio BBVA, Guadalupe – 03:00
How many Orlando Pirates players will be named in Bafana Bafana’s FIFA World Cup 2026 squad?
Let us know in the comments section below …
