Broos gives update on Bafana squad arrivals

Hugo Broos expects to have his full Bafana Bafana squad with him on Tuesday to train ahead of Friday’s friendly against Panama at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. 

Broos – ‘I’m expecting 23 players to be ready to work with’

Overseas-based players like Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Thapelo Maseko and Samkelo Kabini had yet to arrive in camp as Broos addressed the media at the team hotel in Tshwane on Monday. 

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“I don’t have any news of injuries to Mbokazi, Kabini or Maseko. …  so I’m expecting 23 players to be ready to work with by tomorrow for the games,” said the Bafana head coach. 

Broos also gave his Sundowns players the day off yesterday, to allow them some time to rest after playing in Mali on Sunday in their Caf Champions League quarterfinal. 

“It was a day not to train, I allowed the Sundowns players off, they will do their sponsorship duties tomorrow,” he added. 

One overseas-based player who did make the camp on Monday was Hanover 96 defender Ime Okon. Okon should be fresh too after only coming on right at the end of his side’s 1-0 Bundesliga 2 win at home to Eintracht Braunschweig on Friday. 

“I’m very excited to be here and be among the guys, I had some problems that held me back but now I am just looking forward to the training sessions and the next few days,” said the 22 year-old former SuperSport United centre back. 

Okon is one of the fringe players called up by Broos for the Panama friendlies who has a chance to raise his hand ahead of the 2026 Fifa World Cup finals in the USA, Canada and Mexico later this year. 

Bafana will play Panama on Friday and again on Tuesday at Cape Town Stadium. 
Okon and Mbokazi would make an interesting young partnership in the heart of the Bafana defence. 

‘Are you laughing or what?’

Mbokazi seems certain to feature at the World Cup if there is no repeat of the disciplinary issues that infuriated Broos ahead of the 2025 AFCON finals. 

Broos lashed out at Mbokazi when he was late joining up with the AFCON squad, and the Belgian clearly still holds some animosity with Orlando Pirates for their role in the matter. 

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“When Mbokazi came one day too late … then I got a message from Pirates saying that he is living in a region where you don’t find transport easily to go to the airport – come one man, are you laughing or what?,” he said.