Mbekezeli Mbokazi: Massive blow as Bafana defender suffers long-term injury

Bafana Bafana centre-back Mbekezeli Mbokazi is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a significant thigh tear during a training session.

Chicago Fire Head Coach and Director of Football Gregg Berhalter confirmed the injury following the team’s 3-1 loss to New York City FC on Saturday.

The South African international, who recently returned from World Cup duty with Bafana Bafana, has been placed on the six-week injured list, ruling him out of at least the next six MLS matches.

“It’s not good,” Berhalter stated as per MIR97 Media. “He’s going to be out for a while. He took a shot in training, hit the ground a little bit, scuffed the ground, and ended up tearing his thigh. And it’s serious. He won’t be back for a good amount of time.”

Which matches will Mbokazi miss?

Depending on the severity of the tear, Mbokazi could be out for several months. The former Orlando Pirates captain will miss crucial league fixtures against Charlotte, Portland, Orlando, New York, Seattle, and Toronto. He is also ruled out of the Fire’s upcoming Leagues Cup campaign against Necaxa, Santos, and Cruz Azul, with his earliest possible return not until mid-September.

🗣️ Gregg Berhalter:

“Mbokazi ended up tearing his thigh and it’s serious – he won’t be back for a good amount of time.”#cf97 | #BafanaBafana pic.twitter.com/Dc8OREOql2

— Lorenz Köhler (@Lorenz_KO) July 26, 2026

Mbokazi is also likely to miss Bafana Bafana’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Guinea and Eritrea on September 23 and 27 respectively.

The injury leaves the Fire with a shortage of central defenders. Jack Elliott and Joel Waterman started against NYCFC, with Sam Rogers as the only other centre-back on the bench. The team’s depth is further stretched by the absence of top prospect Christopher Cupps, who is currently with the US U-20 national team for World Cup qualifiers in Mexico.

“It is a miss,” Berhalter admitted. “We feel like we have good centre-backs there anyway, but because he’s a top centre-back, we’re going to be missing him for a while. So we’ve got to get used to the new normal.”

Chicago to explore contingency plans

With only three first-team centre-backs available, Berhalter acknowledged that the club is exploring all options to address the gap, including potential moves in the transfer market or recalling Cupps from international duty.

“We don’t have an answer for it right now,” Berhalter said when asked about transfer strategy. “It is something that we’re considering. We have a busy schedule. We need everyone on deck. There’s Cupps, who’s away on international duty, so maybe we bring him back. But it’s something we’re considering for sure.”

Mbokazi has already withdrawn from this week’s MLS All-Star game and now faces an extended period out of action. His absence is a significant blow, but his teammates remain confident in the squad’s ability to cope.

“Losing Mbokazi, an important player in our team, is a bad thing,” fellow South African Puso Dithejane told MIR97 Media. “We have players who can do what he’s been doing.”