Following FIFA’s official confirmation of the final squad lists for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Premier Soccer League (PSL) has flexed its muscles on the global stage.
Bafana Bafana ranks in the global top five—and number one in Africa—for the highest number of locally-based players selected for the tournament, underscoring the immense strength of South Africa’s domestic top flight.
FIFA locked in the definitive rosters ahead of the highly anticipated showpiece, which kicks off on June 11, 2026. A record-breaking 1,248 players will represent 48 nations across Canada, Mexico, and the USA.
Within the Bafana Bafana setup, the PSL boasts 19 players who ply their trade in the domestic league. Betway Premiership champions Orlando Pirates and the 2026 CAF Champions League winners Mamelodi Sundowns lead the local contingent, contributing eight players each to the national team.
Highlighting the league’s development footprint, every single player in Hugo Broos’ 26-man squad has played for a local club at some point in their career, with the sole exception of Sphephelo Sithole, who launched his professional career in Portugal.
THE PSL MAKES ITS MARK AT THE GLOBAL SHOWPIECE
On the continental front, South Africa comfortably leads the African pack with 19 locally-based stars. Egypt follows in second place with 17, while Tunisia [6], Algeria [3], Morocco [2], and Ghana [1] feature lower down the spectrum. Conversely, fellow African contenders Cape Verde, DR Congo, Ivory Coast, and Senegal head to North America without a single locally-based player in their respective squads.
Globally, the only nations boasting more or equal domestic representation than South Africa are Qatar and Saudi Arabia [both with 25], England [21], and Germany [19].
DOMESTIC REPRESENTATION BREAKDOWN ACROSS THE 48 WORLD CUP NATIONS
Co-Hosts: Canada [2], Mexico [12], USA [7]
CAF: South Africa [19], Egypt [17], Tunisia [6], Algeria [3], Morocco [2], Ghana [1], Cape Verde [0], DR Congo [0], Ivory Coast [0], Senegal [0].
AFC: Qatar [25], Saudi Arabia [25], IR Iran [17], Uzbekistan [15], Jordan [11], Iraq [10], Australia [5], Korea Republic [7], Japan [3].
CONCACAF: Panama [2], Haiti [1], Curaçao [0].
CONMEBOL: Brazil [7], Paraguay [3], Argentina [2], Ecuador [2], Colombia [1], Uruguay [0].
OFC: New Zealand [8].
UEFA: England [21], Germany [19], Czechia [17], Spain [17], Türkiye [15], France [8], Portugal [5], Scotland [—], Norway [4], Austria [3], Belgium [3], Sweden [3], Croatia [2], Netherlands [2], Switzerland [2], Bosnia and Herzegovina [1].
In total, the tournament will showcase talent from 449 different clubs spanning 71 countries across the globe. Broken down by region, this includes 35 countries from UEFA, 14 from the AFC, seven from CONCACAF, eight from CONMEBOL, six from CAF, and one from the OFC.
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