Bafana Bafana assistant coach Helman Mkhalele has named a final squad brimming with young talent for the upcoming COSAFA Cup, which South Africa will host from June 26th to July 7th, with Bafana Bafana looking to defend their title on home soil.

Bafana Bafana 23-man List

The 23-man list features a blend of experience and potential, with seasoned goalkeepers like Mondli Mpoto from Royal AM and Olwethu Mzimela from AmaZulu FC. Mkhalele has also included several promising defenders from the DStv Premiership, including Thabang Matuludi, Keanu Cupido, Athenkosi Mcaba, and Rushwin Dortley. The attackers include Tshepang Moremi and Yanele Mbuthuma who plays for the recently promoted Richards Bay. The tournament serves as a valuable opportunity to blood new players and provide them with international exposure.

Tournament Format: A Quest for Regional Glory

The COSAFA Cup features a group stage followed by knockout rounds. Here’s a breakdown of how it works:

Group Stage (June 26th – July 3rd): The 12 participating nations are divided into three groups of four teams each. Each team plays the other teams in their group once.
Knockout Rounds (July 5th & 7th): The winners of each group and the best runner-up from across the groups advance to the semifinals. The winners of the semifinals then contest the final, while the losers play for third place.
Determining the Winner: If a match in the knockout stages ends in a draw after regulation time, the winner will be decided by penalties (except for the final, which has extra time before penalties).

Bafana Bafana’s Quest to Defend the Title

Bafana was drawn into Group A alongside familiar foes Botswana, Mozambique, and eSwatini. With the group stage kicking off on June 26th, the aim will be to secure the top spot and progress to the knockout rounds.

The hosts will be looking to defend their title, which they secured in 2022. With a youthful squad eager to prove themselves, the tournament promises to be an exciting platform for South African football development. Fans will be watching closely to see which players can impress and potentially earn a call-up to the senior national team in the future.