Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has officially announced his squad for the FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin, aiming to secure pivotal points in the competition. On March 21, 2025, Broos' team will host Lesotho at Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane, Limpopo, with kickoff set for 18:00. A few days later, they will travel to Côte d’Ivoire to take on Benin.
This match against Lesotho is especially significant, coinciding with Human Rights Day, and it marks the resumption of Bafana Bafana's World Cup qualifying campaign. Coach Broos visited Polokwane recently along with team manager Vincent Tseka to inspect the pitch firsthand after concerns arose about its readiness following damage from a concert late last year. Broos expressed his satisfaction, stating, “I was there last week, and beautiful, really beautiful. We don’t have an excuse if we don’t have the result we want against Lesotho, saying ‘yes the pitch was not good’. No, no, no, the pitch is fantastic.”
Broos emphasized the importance of the upcoming fixtures, noting, “These are very important games, very tough games, because don’t underestimate Lesotho, maybe not on quality but on mentality. It is a team which fights for 90 minutes for every meter and certainly when they play against South Africa, they will do one step more, I’m sure of it.” The importance of securing maximum points against Lesotho and, thereafter, Benin is not lost on the coach, who posited, “These matches can be key if we can achieve six on six. I think we can make a big step to qualification, I am sure.”
The Bafana Bafana squad has seen some changes from its last outing during the AFCON qualifiers. Defender Thabo Moloisane of Stellenbosch FC has earned his first call-up under Broos, and midfielder Jayden Adams returns after being dropped last year for disciplinary reasons. Notable returnees include Percy Tau, who plays for Qatar SC, and Burnley striker Lyle Foster, who replace Mihlali Mayambela and Evidence Makgopa respectively.
The current squad positions Bafana Bafana second in Group C, level with Rwanda on seven points after four fixtures. The call for all fans to rally behind their team is loud as tickets for the Lesotho match are now on sale through TicketPro, priced at R70 for adults and R40 for children under 12. Fans can enjoy the match live, broadcast on SABC, and secure access to the 22-seater corporate suite by arranging through local authorities.
On potential challenges against Benin, Broos reflected on past encounters, stating, “We had difficulty against Benin one year ago when we played against them. We won 2-1 but it was a difficult game.” The coach's sentiments highlight the need for the team to stay vigilant as they prepare to face their opponents.
The team will gather in Johannesburg on March 17 before traveling to Polokwane, where they will commence their camp for the anticipated games. With the stakes high and every match contributing to the ultimate goal of World Cup qualification, Bafana Bafana is rallying for support from fans across the nation.