South Africa name World Cup squad with 19 players from domestic league | OneFootball

After a 16-year absence from the world stage, South Africa national football team are heading back to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Bafana Bafana confirmed their 26-man squad on Wednesday ahead of what will be their fourth appearance at the tournament and first since hosting the competition in 2010.

The squad is heavily built around the domestic game, with 16 players coming from South Africa’s two dominant clubs, Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates. There is also a European contingent in the group, including Lyle Foster, who plays for Burnley and is expected to lead the line at the tournament.

South Africa have been drawn in Group A alongside Mexico national football team, Czech Republic national football team and South Korea national football team.

Their return to the World Cup will begin in the opening match of the tournament against hosts Mexico at the Azteca Stadium on 11 June.

For a country that has waited more than a decade to return to football’s biggest stage, simply being back is already significant. Now South Africa will hope this generation can make a bigger impact than the side that narrowly exited on home soil in 2010.

Full squad below: