Mbokazi becomes MLS’s most valuable player after World Cup

Bafana Bafana defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi’s transfer value has risen to €20 million following his impressive performances at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, making him the most valuable player in Major League Soccer, according to the International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES).

The 20-year-old was the youngest member of Hugo Broos’ squad but played a key role as Bafana Bafana reached the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time.

Mbokazi completed all 90 minutes in each of South Africa’s four matches. They began with a 2-0 defeat by Mexico before drawing 1-1 with Czechia and beating South Korea 1-0. Their campaign ended with a 1-0 loss to Canada in the Round of 32.

The former Orlando Pirates centre-back received widespread praise for his displays and was ranked 10th among the best under-23 players in his position. His national team-mate Ime Okon was placed fourth in the same ranking.

Mbokazi’s progress was interrupted by an injury soon after the tournament. He did not return to action until the end of September and subsequently missed all three of Bafana Bafana’s matches during the most recent international break.

His latest valuation represents a significant increase on the €2.5 million (R46 million) fee Chicago are understood to have paid Orlando Pirates for his services. The new figure of €20 million is equivalent to about R373 million.

CIES published the valuation in the 554th edition of its CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post. The report lists the 10 players with the highest estimated transfer values in each league across 55 competitions outside Europe’s big-five leagues.

Mbokazi’s rise in value follows his first World Cup campaign, in which he was the youngest player in South Africa’s squad while featuring in every match. His performances helped Bafana Bafana progress beyond the group stage before their eventual elimination by Canada.