No Sundowns players as Broos names new-look Bafana squad for important June friendlies
Ranked 56th in the latest FIFA rankings, South Africa will first welcome 107th-ranked Tanzania to the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Friday, 6 June.
Four days later, on Tuesday, 10 June, they'll clash with 96th-ranked Mozambique at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria.
The friendlies are more than just warm-ups - they're key tune-ups for what promises to be a demanding calendar, with World Cup qualification and the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco fast approaching. The continental showpiece kicks off this December and will spill into early 2026.
Broos named a wide 41-man provisional squad last week, but now, he's trimmed it to a tight 23.
Noticeably absent from the selection are players from Mamelodi Sundowns - unsurprising, given the Betway Premiership champions will be representing Africa at the prestigious FIFA Club World Cup in the United States from 15 June.
The omission of the Sundowns core has forced Broos to reshuffle his pack, offering opportunities to fringe players and rising talents keen to stake their claim on the international stage.
The team will assemble in Johannesburg on Sunday, 1 June, before heading to Polokwane later that same day.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Canadian women's, men's 3x3 wheelchair basketball teams win gold at inaugural world championships
Canada won gold in both the women's and men's tournaments at the inaugural 3x3 wheelchair basketball world championships Sunday in Sun City, South Africa. The Canadian women completed an undefeated run with a 17-12 victory over Spain in the final, going 6-0 at the three-day event. Canada's women's team is comprised of Kady Dandeneau of Pender Island, B.C., Tamara Steeves of Mississauga, Ont., Élodie Tessier of Saint-Germain de Grantham, Que., and Toronto's Puisand Lai. "Spain came out insanely physical, we knew they would. They were hitting chairs and, in our face – all over us," Dandeneau said. "I think we kept our composure and still competed with them and stuck to what we've been doing, which is playing our game." Dandeneau was named tournament MVP while Tessier collected tournament all-star honours. "I think being any kind of world champion is pretty sweet," Dandeneau added. "To do it for the first time — it's history." WATCH l Full replay of Canada-Spain women's final: Canada topped Great Britain 15-10 in the semifinals earlier in the day, while Spain edged Australia 9-7 to reach the final. The Canadians also beat Spain in its opening game, 14-7. WATCH l Dandeneau on how 3x3 format offers lower barrier to entry: The Canadian men's squad won its historic world title by rallying past Spain 14-9 later Sunday, avenging its lone loss of the tournament. Canada fell 18–12 to the Spaniards on Friday in its second game after running into foul trouble. Canada is represented by Quebec City's Vincent Dallaire, Colin Higgins of Rothesay, N.B., Lee Melymick of Toronto and Garrett Ostepchuk of Regina. "Super cool experience," said Higgins, who was named tournament MVP. "We knew Spain was going to be tough; they beat us in pool play, so we knew we didn't have much to lose. We came out, we hit a couple of shots and won the game. "My teammates are awesome," he added. "They worked so hard, it's awesome to see them rewarded, hitting some buckets today and stealing us the victory." The Canadians advanced to the gold-medal game earlier with their second close win over Austria at worlds, taking the semifinal 13-12. Canada opened the tournament with a 17–15 overtime win over the Austrians on Friday, with Higgins scoring the decisive points. Canada, which went 6-1 in Sun City, edged Australia 12-9 in Saturday's quarterfinals. WATCH l Full replay of Canada-Spain men's final: Hosted by Wheelchair Basketball South Africa, the 2025 IWBF 3x3 Open World Championships celebrates the growth of 3x3 wheelchair basketball and offers smaller nations an opportunity to shine on the global stage. This is the second 3x3 event for Canada's wheelchair basketball teams. The women won gold and the men took silver at the sport's debut at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.
News24
10 hours ago
- News24
Lesufi reshuffles Gauteng HODs in his first sweeping changes after criticism
X/@GautengProvince Be among those who shape the future with knowledge. Uncover exclusive stories that captivate your mind and heart with our FREE 14-day subscription trial. Dive into a world of inspiration, learning, and empowerment. You can only trial once. Start your FREE trial now Show Comments ()
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Yahoo
PCB issues 'blanket ban' on playing in T20 World Championship of Legends
ISLAMABAD (AP) — The Pakistan Cricket Board announced a 'blanket ban' on future participation in the T20 World Championship of Legends on Sunday, accusing the organizers of being biased in favor of India. India twice forfeited its games against Pakistan during the WCL, including a semifinal, due to strained political relations between the two countries. The organizers awarded both teams one point each after India forfeited a league game against Pakistan, a decision that didn't sit well with the PCB, which described it as 'tainted with hypocrisy and bias.' Pakistan lost to South Africa by nine wickets in the final at Birmingham on Saturday. The WCL is a league of retired cricketers in which teams from West Indies, Australia and England also participated. 'We cannot allow our players to be part of events where the spirit of the game is overshadowed by skewed politics that undermines the very essence of sportsmanship and the gentleman's game,' the PCB said in a statement. WCL organizers acknowledged Pakistan's willingness to compete against India, but also said in one of its statements that it 'respected India's decision to withdraw' from games against Pakistan. But the PCB took issue with the WCL narrative. 'The contents of the said (WCL) press releases highlight a duality where the narrative of 'peace through sport' is selectively applied and sporting events are held hostage to political expediency and narrow commercial interests,' the PCB said. ___ AP cricket:
