Johannesburg – Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has announced that all six players who narrowly missed out on Hugo Broos’ final 26-man Bafana Bafana squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will travel to Mexico.
Brandon Petersen, Patrick Maswanganyi, Thabiso Monyane, Thapelo Morena, Lebohang Maboe, and Brooklyn Poggenpoel will witness the South African National team’s opening Group A match against co-hosts Mexico at the iconic Estadio Azteca on 11 June.
The trip has been made possible through the generous support of the proudly South African brand Old School, whose partnership will cover the full cost of travel and accommodation.
“These six men trained, sacrificed, and prepared with the same dedication as every player in that squad,” said Minister McKenzie.
“They were part of this journey.
“The margin between making the final cut and missing out at a World Cup is razor-thin, and it would be wrong for that margin to mean that their contribution simply disappears.
“They deserve to be there, and they deserve to see what they helped build.”
Minister McKenzie said the initiative arose from a desire to ensure that these players could remain part of South Africa’s historic World Cup campaign, even if not on the field of play.
“[Coach] Hugo Broos had to make impossible choices this week, and we accept this. It is in the nature of sport, because disappointment for some is the inescapable flip side of glory for others,” the Minister said.
“’That is the nature of elite sport. But such choices should not be the last word on what these six men mean to Bafana Bafana and to this country. They remain part of the family.”
Minister McKenzie described Old School’s decision to back the initiative as a reflection of exactly the kind of South African spirit the World Cup moment demands.
“When I reached out to Old School, the answer was immediate,” said Minister McKenzie.
“That kind of response – standing by those who gave their best – is what South African sport looks like at its finest.
“I am deeply grateful to them.”
The six players are expected to join South African supporters in Mexico for the opening fixture, which marks our country’s first World Cup appearance since hosting the tournament in 2010.
Minister McKenzie extended his congratulations to the full Bafana Bafana squad and coaching staff, and expressed his confidence in the team’s ability to make history in Group A.
“We go to Mexico as one nation. There will be twenty-six deserving players in the squad, and six more equally special ones in the stands.
“All of them are Bafana Bafana. On that day, all 60 million of us will be Bafana Bafana.”
