AFCON: Broos names stars who will NOT TRAVEL with Bafana Bafana on Wednesday

Bafana Bafana will leave for Morocco on Wednesday ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations that will be played from December 21 to January 18.

On Tuesday, Hugo Broos’ men are set to face Ghana’s Black Stars in their final build-up before the biennial competition. In the last FIFA international break, Mzansi beat the 2012 champions Zambia 3-1.

Clubs, especially in Europe, will release the players just this weekend as per the directive of World Football Governing Body FIFA. This has not gone down well with the teams competing for the AFCON crown.

Bafana Bafana continue to put in the work at the HPC in Pretoria.#BafanaPride@10bet_ZA @HonorAfrica @Shield_ZA @SABC_Sport pic.twitter.com/eCRya3xWwi

— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) December 11, 2025

Hugo Broos has raised his concern on the ruling by FIFA, explaining why some top teams are set to suffer. The 73-year-old then revealed the players who will not be part of the travelling party on December 16, just five days before the competition starts.

Who will join Bafana Bafana later?

“And Ivory Coast and Senegal, and Mali, who have only players who play abroad, what are they going to do? So, they have their players next week, the 15th, and for Morocco, six days later they play their opening game,” he told the media.

“That means again what FIFA thinks about CAF, about Africa, but I’m sure that there has been pressure from the European clubs to change the date. So, that’s the reason why Ngezana Siyabonga], Campbell [Shandre], Foster [Lyle], and Sithole [Siphephelo] can’t be here before next week. 

“I think it’s not an opportunity to let them come after the weekend, if you take Sithole and Campbell and Foster, Foster is playing Saturday, so he can’t be here on Monday,” Broos added.

“Campbell is playing Sunday, so he will not be here before Tuesday. Sithole is playing Saturday, he will be here on Monday, but I don’t think you can ask those players to travel and be here on Monday, and take another flight to Morocco on Wednesday. 

“So, I think we will leave those players in their clubs, and they will join us when we arrive in Morocco,” he further explained.

Ngezana’s arrival date confirmed

Siyabonga Ngezana was on target on Thursday night as his team FCSB beat Durth outfit Feyenoord 4-3 in the Europa League’s League Phase game staged at the National Arena.

Their next match will be on Monday in the Romanian top-flight assignment against, Unirea Slobozia, the same day that he will be leaving for Mzansi.

“For Ngezana, it’s a little bit different; they are playing on Monday, which means he can’t play because it’s the day they have to release their players. So we will call Ngezana the next day because tomorrow he’s playing in the Euro league,” Broos clarified.

“So, we call him and maybe he can travel on Friday and be with us on Saturday. It’s a little problem, it’s not a big problem and I’m happy to be coach of a country where the majority of the players are local players because otherwise you can’t start a camp, you have to start it next week. 

“So, I don’t think that my colleagues in the other countries will be so happy for the moment,” he concluded.