Five players who could be crucial to Bafana’s success

WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS

- OBAKENG MELETSE

HUGO Broos will lead Bafana Bafana into one of the most defining chapters of South African football history as they pursue qualification for the 2026 Fifa World Cup. It would be only their third automatic berth, and their fourth appearance on the global stage — yet their hopes, for now, hang delicately in the balance.

South Africa are two games away from securing their spot at the finals.

They sit second in Group C on 14 points, level with log leaders Benin, who edge them only on goal difference. Everything rests on the outcome of the final two fixtures, and crucially, Bafana’s fate remain firmly in their own hands.

Broos will lead his charges against Zimbabwe and Rwanda in back-to-back crunch encounters that will decide whether the nation takes its place among the world’s elite. First up is a showdown against neighbours Zimbabwe at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in under two weeks. Ahead of the Belgian coach naming his final squad, here are five key players from the preliminary list who could prove decisive.

Mohau Nkota