Choose your 26 Bafana Bafana players for the 2026 World Cup

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup less than a month away, South Africa fans are daring to dream as Bafana Bafana prepare for their first appearance at football’s biggest stage since hosting the tournament in 2010.

Hugo Broos submitted his preliminary squad to FIFA on 11 May, and the final 26-man group must be confirmed by 1 June ahead of the Group A opener against co-hosts Mexico on 11 June.

Now, Afrik-Foot gives you the chance to play selector yourself — pick your own 26 Bafana Bafana players for the World Cup!

Bafana Bafana 2026 World Cup squad: Broos’ biggest headaches

One of the most straightforward calls Broos has to make is also his most important. Ronwen Williams is an automatic starter — the Mamelodi Sundowns captain has been the most consistent South African goalkeeper over the past five years and his leadership goes well beyond shot-stopping.

The real debate is who backs him up. Brandon Petersen has been in exceptional form for Kaizer Chiefs, registering 14 clean sheets in 23 matches this season, and Broos himself admitted the only reason Petersen missed the March Panama friendlies was an appendix issue.

Sipho Chaine, a long-time Broos favourite, could have reason to feel aggrieved if he misses out—but Petersen’s club form makes him almost impossible to ignore at this point.

Perhaps no selection debate has generated more column inches than the Thembinkosi Lorch question.

The winger was effectively written off by Broos, who stated publicly he would never consider selecting him again—only for the Belgian to reverse course after Lorch’s impressive displays for Libyan giants Al-Ittihad.

Whether that goodwill translates into a World Cup seat remains to be seen, and fans are divided.

His right-channel intelligence and link-up play are attributes Broos values, but squad spots are at a premium, and there are equally hungry candidates pushing hard from the PSL.

In attack, Evidence Makgopa and Oswin Appollis both played starring roles in the qualifying win over Rwanda that sealed Bafana’s spot, and both look set to be on the plane.

The question is who provides genuine competition from the bench. Lyle Foster at Burnley has featured regularly in Broos’ squads and offers a physical presence that differs from the pace-oriented options at home.

Mohau Nkota’s loan stint at Al Ettifaq and Iqraam Rayners’ reliability for Mamelodi Sundowns both add to a competitive pool, while Golden Arrows’ Siyanda Ndlovu has been knocking loudly at the door throughout 2025-26.

In midfield, Teboho Mokoena is the engine room around which everything else is built.

The Sundowns man brings press resistance, range of passing and goal threat, and will be one of the first names on Broos’ teamsheet.

Relebohile Mofokeng is another Broos favourite despite some inconsistent showings in a national shirt — the Orlando Pirates youngster has rediscovered his spark at club level and appears to have won back his place.

Gift Links, who won the Danish league title with Aarhus GF, and Patrick Maswanganyi are both in contention for the wider midfield slots, and the decision between domestic-based form players and overseas exposure could define how balanced South Africa’s final 26 actually looks.