We qualified, then what?

Congratulations are in order for Bafana Bafana, coach Hugo Broos' technical team and the players for a magnificent job that they've done for our country, ensuring that we will be counted amongst the best teams in the world, as we will be represented in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup to be held in the North American countries of Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

- Cheers,VeeJay

It was an impressive campaign that maintained the momentum from the preceding Africa Cup of Nations, where we came in third against odds that were heavily stacked against our team. Coach Broos has been a breath of fresh air since taking charge of the national team. Many positive developments have emerged from his tenure, and he deserves all the applause for the way he transformed our national team.

Among the many things he got right was reducing the average age of our squad. We now see numerous young stars in the national team not just bench warmers, but players playing important roles within the team. This reflects the level of quality we have in the country as coach Broos’ squad has consistently comprised mostly of locally based players who ply their trade in the PSL. This bodes well for South African football, as it proves that our league is indeed among the best on the continent. The proof lies in how well these players have performed when given chances, even against some of the biggest names in the continent. Who can forget how a young player like Mbekezeli Mbokazi 'pocketed' Nigeria's attackers in the recent World Cup qualifiers 1-1 draw? At AFCON, Bafana Bafana were among the teams with the most locally based players in their squad, and they delivered a bronze medal we still celebrate.

The qualifying campaign didn’t start well, but the intention was always clear. We all knew exactly what Bafana Bafana wanted to achieve, and we were in the driver's seat for most of the qualifying campaign - until the well-documented Teboho Mokoena saga put the cat among the pigeons and almost diminished our chances of booking our World Cup ticket.