Mosimane backs surprise Ndlovu call-up for South Africa’s AFCON qualifiers

Pitso Mosimane has defended his decision to select Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Siyanda Ndlovu for South Africa’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign, despite leaving him out of the preliminary squad.

Mosimane confirmed his final 27-man Bafana Bafana squad on Thursday afternoon at the SABC Studios, ahead of the two upcoming qualification fixtures. Ndlovu’s inclusion was one of the most notable developments because the player had not featured in the provisional group announced by the head coach in recent weeks.

Speaking to SABC Sport after unveiling the squad, Mosimane said the preliminary selection was not binding and that players could still earn a place in the final squad.

“The most important thing is to know that we should not be slaves or be held by a preliminary squad,” Mosimane told journalists on Thursday.

He pointed to the previous selection of Moremi as an example of a player who had been added after missing out on the initial group.

“You remember last time? Moremi was also not in the preliminary squad, but he played against Egypt. So, the preliminary squad is a squad we name because of many, many, many reasons,” he said.

Mosimane also stressed that being included in the final squad did not guarantee a player would feature in a match.

“Being called does not mean you will [automatically] play,” he added.

The coach said Ndlovu’s performances for Mamelodi Sundowns had made him impossible to overlook, particularly after the midfielder collected several Man of the Match awards in succession.

“First, we are acknowledgingwe are saying we are watching youwe acknowledge what your contribution is, especially like we see you. He [Siyanda Ndlovu] won Man of the Match [awards], I think three times in a row or four times in a row. I mean, you cannot ignore that,” Mosimane said.

Ndlovu will now be part of the Bafana Bafana group preparing for two meetings with Harambee Stars in November.

South Africa will host Harambee Stars at the Orlando Amstel Arena in Johannesburg on Friday, 13 November 2026. Kick-off is scheduled for 18:00.

Bafana Bafana will then travel to Nairobi for the return fixture on Tuesday, 17 November 2026. The matches form part of South Africa’s qualification campaign for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.