Chicago Fire defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi out for 2026 season with thigh injury

Chicago Fire defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi will miss the rest of the 2026 MLS season after suffering a thigh muscle tear, dealing a major setback to both his club and South Africa.

Fire coach Gregg Berhalter confirmed the injury on Thursday, saying Mbokazi was hurt in training after returning from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The defender played every minute of South Africa’s four matches at the tournament in Mexico and the US, helping Bafana Bafana reach the knockout stages. He had established himself as one of the standout performers in his first season with Chicago Fire, starting 12 regular-season matches.

Mbokazi was also selected for the MLS All-Star game but had to withdraw because of the injury.

“Mbo being ruled out for the year is a tough one,” Berhalter told Apple TV.

“It’s really about the next person stepping up and being a team that’s hard to score on, closing the spaces, being compact. We’re working on that now and I think today you’re going to see that.”

The injury leaves Chicago Fire without a player who had quickly become an important part of their defence during his debut campaign. Berhalter said the club would now focus on improving its defensive organisation and finding a replacement capable of helping the team remain difficult to break down.

For South Africa, Mbokazi’s absence creates an additional problem ahead of a demanding schedule in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.

He is expected to miss Bafana Bafana’s crucial qualifiers against Guinea and Eritrea in September, as well as two matches against Kenya in November. The injury will also be a concern for whoever takes over as South Africa’s next coach.

Mbokazi’s World Cup contribution had strengthened his position as an important member of the national team. His availability for all four of South Africa’s matches in Mexico and the US highlighted his importance during their run to the knockout stages.

His club form had also been rewarded with inclusion in the MLS All-Star squad, although the thigh problem prevented him from taking part.

The extent of the injury was confirmed after he returned to Chicago Fire from international duty, with the club now preparing to complete the 2026 MLS season without him.

Berhalter said the immediate priority was for other players to take responsibility and help the team close spaces effectively. Chicago Fire will therefore have to reorganise its defence while Mbokazi begins his recovery.

The setback comes at a particularly unfortunate time for the 2026 MLS debutant, who had made an immediate impression in the regular season and then played a full part in South Africa’s World Cup campaign.

For Bafana Bafana, the injury means their next coach will have to plan for a run of important 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers without one of the team’s most prominent recent performers.

Story reported by TimesLIVE.