Monday Jun 01, 2026. 13:13
South Africa’s Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has arranged for six axed Bafana Bafana players to attend the 2026 FIFA World Cup opening game in Mexico.
In partnership with Old School, he is funding the trip for Brandon Petersen, Lebohang Maboe, Thabiso Monyane, Patrick Maswanganyi, Thapelo Morena, and Brooklyn Poggenpoel, who were left out of coach Hugo Broos’ final 26-man squad despite training with the team.
McKenzie emphasised that the players’ dedication and contributions to the World Cup journey deserve recognition, describing the selection margin as razor-thin and affirming they remain part of the Bafana family.
“These six men trained, sacrificed, and prepared with the same dedication as every player in that squad,” said Minister McKenzie in a statement.
“They were part of this journey. The margin between making the final cut and missing out at a World Cup is razor-thin, and it would be wrong for that margin to mean that their contribution simply disappears. They deserve to be there, and they deserve to see what they helped build.”
“Hugo Broos had to make impossible choices this week, and we accept this. It is in the nature of sport, because disappointment for some is the inescapable flip side of glory for others.
“That is the nature of elite sport. But such choices should not be the last word on what these six men mean to Bafana Bafana and to this country. They remain part of the family.”