Pitso Mosimane has named a 30-man squad for the first two games of his second stint - Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Guinea (home, Sep. 26) and Eritrea (away, Sep. 30), with Lyle Foster - currently on loan at Houston Dynamo from Burnley - one of five players cut in a move that may be injury or fitness-related.
Foster has yet to make his Major League Soccer (MLS) debut, with reports suggesting he has yet to reach full match fitness after a delayed return from the FIFA World Cup.
Orlando Pirates winger Tshepang Moremi also misses out - as does his club teammate, midfielder Cemran Dansin. Sekhukhune United right-back Tshepho Mashiloane, who is on loan from Pirates, was also cut along with Golden Arrows winger Ronaldo van Neel.
Winger Puso Dithejane (Chicago Fire) was included as expected after an impressive run of form, although Fire centre-back Mbekezeli Mbokazi misses out with injury. There have been suggestions from Fire head coach Gregg Berhalter that 'TLB' could potentially recover ahead of schedule and play again this MLS season, but this national team camp has arrived too early.
Dithejane has played for Bafana Bafana at the COSAFA Cup before - but the Southern African regional competition is typically a tournament in which they leave young players in the hands of upcoming coaches. This, in a sense, will be an opportunity for him to make a debut at the highest level.
Luther Singh (AEL Limassol) and Shandre Campbell (Kortrijk) earned recalls, with Mamelodi Sundowns quartet Cassius Mailula, Bathusi Aubaas, Fawaaz Basadien and Tashreeq Matthews also making the cut after having been overlooked in recent squads by Hugo Broos.
In fairness, left-back Basadien had been a regular for Broos until his playing time decreased following his move from Stellenbosch FC to Sundowns, and his form has improved since his World Cup snub, while Aubaas struggled with injury during the second half of 2025-26 after playing at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
Orlando Pirates duo Lebone Seema (centre-back) and Yanela Mbuthuma (striker) were also unsurprising selections by Mosimane - albeit two that Hugo Broos had not made in his World Cup squad.
Thapelo Morena returns after injury kept him out of the World Cup, but regular first-choice right-back and Sundowns teammate Khuliso Mudau misses out due to an injury of his own.
Final Bafana Bafana squad
Goalkeepers: Ronwen Williams, Sipho Chaine, Ricardo Goss
Defenders: Aubrey Modiba, Samukele Kabini, Fawaaz Basadien, Kamogelo Sebelebele, Thapelo Morena, Thabang Matuludi, Olwethu Makhanya, Khulumani Ndamane, Ime Okon, Lebone Seema, Nkosinathi Sibisi
Midfielders: Teboho Mokoena, Lebohang Maboe, Sphephelo 'Yaya' Sithole, Bathusi Aubaas, Brooklyn Poggenpoel
Forwards: Iqraam Rayners, Yanela Mbuthuma, Cassius Mailula, Oswin Appollis, Puso Dithejane, Tashreeq Matthews, Relebohile Mofokeng, Themba Zwane, Thapelo Maseko, Luther Singh, Shandre Campbell
