Blow for South Africa as Siyabonga Ngezana’s World Cup hopes hang in the balance

South Africa’s World Cup preparations have suffered a significant setback with centre-back Siyabonga Ngezana fast running out of time to prove his fitness ahead of the 2026 tournament.

The 28-year-old did not feature for Romanian champions FCSB over the weekend, extending a worrying spell on the sidelines.

Since January 29, he has managed only 14 minutes of competitive football, a sharp decline for a player who had been a mainstay in both World Cup qualifying and South Africa’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations campaign.

The situation places his tournament hopes in serious doubt, especially under national team coach Hugo Broos, who has consistently stressed that match fitness is non-negotiable when selecting his squad. With limited game time, Ngezana is now viewed as a long shot for inclusion.

The setback is particularly damaging given the defender’s pedigree at club level. Since joining FCSB, the former Kaizer Chiefs defender has featured in European competitions, including the UEFA Champions League and Europa League, bringing valuable experience at a higher level of competition.

His absence creates a selection dilemma for Bafana Bafana, who may be forced to rely on a less experienced defensive pool. Rising option Mbekezeli Mbokazi, despite earning attention in recent months, still has just 10 international caps and is expected to be involved in key fixtures, including the friendly against Mexico on June 11.

Mbokazi’s likely partner could be former Orlando Pirates teammate Nkosinathi Sibisi, who has 20 caps and offers some familiarity at international level. However, both defenders are relatively short by centre-back standards, standing at 1.77 metres, which raises concerns against physically dominant opponents.

Alternative options include Khulumani Ndamane of Mamelodi Sundowns and Ime Okon of Hannover 96 in Germany’s second tier. Both are over six feet tall and offer better aerial presence, with Okon standing at 1.87 metres and enjoying a consistent season in a promotion-chasing side.

Broos would ideally prefer a settled, experienced pairing heading into a World Cup campaign. Instead, he now faces the possibility of relying on a reshuffled defence, with uncertainty surrounding the availability of his first-choice centre-back partnership and the risk of a less experienced backline being exposed on the global stage.