No place for Themba Zwane in Broos’ Bafana Afcon squad; Smith and Campbell get nod

There was no place for injury-plagued veteran attacking fulcrum Themba Zwane as Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos named his 25-player squad for the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Morocco on Monday.

There were interesting inclusions, though: two of the bright young emerging stars of South African football in Queens Park Rangers’ Tylon Smith, who led Amajita to South Africa’s first U-20 Afcon victory earlier this year, and Club Brugge forward Shandre Campbell, both 20.

Broos announced the squad on SABC2 on Monday, speaking digitally from his home in Belgium, from where he will travel to the 2026 World Cup draw in Washington on Friday.

Probably the major surprise was there was no room for Mamelodi Sundowns striker Iqraam Rayners, who was second-top scorer after Brazilian teammate Lucas Ribeiro in the Betway Premiership last season and has chipped in with goals at the national level.

Veteran Zwane, 36, has barely played for Sundowns this season, as he has battled injuries that go back half a year, but Broos recognised the value in the best creative force in South African football in the past decade, including him in the preliminary squad he announced on November 24.

However, lack of game time meant Zwane could not make the final combination.

He made a return from injury, coming on as an 88th-minute substitute in Sundowns’ 1-1 Caf Champions League group draw against MC Alger in Algiers on Friday night. Before that, he last kicked a ball in anger in the Brazilians’ 3-0 home Betway Premiership win against Magesi FC on September 14.

Ten players from the last Afcon are not in the squad.

Bafana enjoyed their best finish of third in last year’s Nations Cup in Ivory Coast and, with a long period of form and a further confidence-boosting first World Cup qualification other than as hosts in 23 years, might even be considered dark horses in Morocco.

South Africa are in Group B of the Nations Cup with Egypt, Angola and Zimbabwe. They kick off their Afcon against Angola in Marrakesh on December 22.

Bafana go into camp on Monday, after Saturday’s Carling Knockout Cup final between Orlando Pirates and Marumo Gallants.

Bafana Bafana final squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations

Goalkeepers:

• Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns)
• Ricardo Goss (Siwelele FC)
• Sipho Chaine (Orlando Pirates)

Defenders:

• Khuliso Mudau (Mamelodi Sundowns)
• Thabang Matuludi (Polokwane City)
• Tylon Smith (Queens Park Rangers, England)
• Nkosinathi Sibisi (Orlando Pirates)
• Aubrey Modiba (Mamelodi Sundowns)
• Khulumani Ndamane (TS Galaxy)
• Siyabonga Ngezana (FCSB, Romania)
• Samukelo Kabini (Molde FK, Denmark)
• Mbekezeli Mbokazi (Orlando Pirates)

Midfielders:

• Teboho Mokoena (Mamelodi Sundowns)
• Bathusi Aubaas (Mamelodi Sundowns)
• Thalente Mbatha (Orlando Pirates)
• Sphephelo Sithole (CD Tondela, Portugal)

Forwards:

• Oswin Appollis (Orlando Pirates)
• Mohau Nkota (Al-Ettifaq, Saudi Arabia)
• Tshepang Moremi (Orlando Pirates)
• Evidence Makgopa (Orlando Pirates)
• Lyle Foster (Burnley, England)
• Sipho Mbule (Orlando Pirates)
• Elias Mokwana (Al-Hazem, Saudi Arabia)
• Shandre Campbell (Club Brugge, Belgium)
• Relebohile Mofokeng (Orlando Pirates)