Snl24 | BREAKING: Pirates duo headlines latest Bafana squad for AFCON qualifiers

BLOEMFONTEIN, SOUTH AFRICA – JUNE 11: a general view imageduring the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifier match between South Africa and Zimbabwe at Free State Stadium on June 11, 2024 in Bloemfontein, South Africa. (Photo by Johan Pretorius/Gallo Images)

Orlando Pirates’ Sipho Chaine and Thalente Mbatha are among the new faces in the latest Bafana Bafana preliminary squad for upcoming 2025 AFCON qualifiers against Uganda and South Sudan.

Bafana Bafana are set to return to continental action as they vy for a spot in next year’s Africa Cup of Nations to be played in Morocco.

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Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos names the preliminary squad to face Uganda and South Sudan in two 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in September 2024. pic.twitter.com/7brilXGsxY

— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) August 20, 2024To get there, Bafana will have to go through Uganda – whom they will play on 6 September at Orlando Stadium before taking on South Sudan on 10 September.

Ahead of those matches, Broos has selected a massive 38-player strong preliminary squad that will be trimmed down in the coming days.

Some of the big news in the squad is that Pirates’ shot-stopper Chaine received his first call-up, as did his teammate Mbatha. Should the duo make the final cut, they could be in line to make their Bafana debuts.

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This will come on the back of teenager Relebohile Mofokeng making his senior national team debut against Zimbabwe in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier clash.

Stellenbosch left-back Fawaaz Basadien also receives a first nod for the national team coach.

Another new face in the squad is 22-year-old Vitesse striker Simon van Divenbooden. The rest of the squad is fairly strong and includes regulars such as Teboho Mokoena, Ronwen Williams, Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane among others.

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