Five notable absentees from Bafana Bafana’s preliminary squad

BAFANA Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has named a 45-man preliminary squad for the final two 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers next month, with Zimbabwe and Rwanda the opponents.

- SMISO MSOMI

South Africa will first take on Zimbabwe at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium on October 10 before hosting Rwanda at Mbombela Stadium on October 14.

While the extended list offers Broos plenty of depth, several notable names have once again been overlooked despite good form and proven pedigree.

Independent Media takes a closer look at five players who missed the cut:

Thembinkosi Lorch

The 32-year-old winger has rediscovered his spark since moving to Moroccan giants Wydad Athletic. Lorch recently stood out on the global stage at the FIFA Club World Cup and has carried that momentum into the new season.

Just last week, he netted his first goal of the campaign to salvage a point for Wydad. His resurgence raises questions about why his experience and creativity remain untapped at at international level.

Bradley Grobler