The Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, has sent a message to Orlando Pirates midfielder Sipho Mbule following his omission from the Bafana Bafana squad for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Mbule was a notable omission from the 32-man Bafana Bafana preliminary World Cup squad announced by head coach Hugo Broos on Thursday evening. The provisional squad is set to be trimmed to the final 26-man roster at the Union Buildings next Wednesday.
The highly-rated midfielder’s snub has raised eyebrows across the local football fraternity, given that he had firmly established himself as a key figure in the national team setup in recent months.
Mbule became a regular fixture for Bafana after joining Pirates on a free transfer ahead of the 2025/26 Betway Premiership campaign. The 28-year-old midfield maestro moved to the Buccaneers after his contract with Mamelodi Sundowns expired in June 2025.
Following that high-profile switch to Soweto, Mbule quickly became one of the most talked-about players in the PSL, anchoring the midfield under Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou during a stellar first half of the season.
His resurgent form for the Buccaneers deservedly caught the eye of Broos, earning him a place in the Bafana squad for the recent AFCON tournament in Morocco, where South Africa ultimately bowed out in the Round of 16 following a 2-1 defeat to Cameroon.
WHAT GAYTON MCKENZIE SAID ABOUT MBULE’S BAFANA OMISSION
Following the continental showpiece, Mbule struggled to command regular game time during the second half of the domestic campaign as Pirates pursue the league title.
This subsequent lack of minutes at club level cost the former SuperSport United star his place in the national team setup. Notably, the midfielder was also overlooked for the back-to-back international friendlies against Panama in March.
Despite the setback, the gifted playmaker has received strong words of encouragement from Minister Gayton McKenzie, who publicly reassured the player that his dreams of representing Bafana are far from over.
“A king who gave us so much, this is your moment to cook part two of your greatness. Your best years are ahead of you in football. Let the fools laugh at you, you have given us so much champ,” McKenzie said on his X account.
A king that gave us so much, this is your moment to cook part two of your greatness. Your best years are ahead of you in football. Let the fools laugh at you, you have given us so so much Champ. pic.twitter.com/CecskekKU9
— Gayton McKenzie (@GaytonMcK) May 22, 2026
On June 11, Bafana will walk out into the roaring cauldron of the Estadio Azteca to face co-hosts Mexico in the opening match of the World Cup. It is a thrilling, nostalgic repeat of their unforgettable 2010 kickoff showdown.
Group A also serves up heavyweight clashes against South Korea and the Czech Republic, marking South Africa’s return to the global stage for the first time in 16 years. To conquer the elements, Hugo Broos has strategically based the squad in the high-altitude city of Pachuca, utilising the Universidad del Futbol to ensure his men are fully acclimated and battle-ready from day one.
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