A number of Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates stars will be going all out to play for Bafana Bafana at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico later this year.
They will be aiming to be a part of Hugo Broos’s squad for the football’s greatest showpiece.
However, for some of their Buccaneer and Amakhosi team-mates, their World Cup dreams are officially over.
CHIEFS GOALKEEPER’S WORLD CUP DREAM OVER
Rwandan and Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwari’s FIFA World Cup dream is over – for 2026 at least.
This is because Rwanda failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Ironically, Bafana had a big part to play in that as they were in the same qualifying group as Rwanda.
Bafana Bafana demolished Rwanda 4-0 in their final qualifying match en route to punching their ticket to the USA, Mexico and Canada between 11 June and 11 July.
Things may go from bad to worse for Ntwari as not only is his World Cup dream over, but he is one of the Chiefs players linked with likely departure from the club.
ORLANDO PIRATES PLAYERS MISS OUT ON FOOTBALL GREATEST SHOWPIECE
Meanwhile, Orlando Pirates players Deivi Miguel Vieira (Angola) and Abdoulaye Mariko (Cameroon) will also play no part at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Again, this is because both Angola and Cameroon failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
Angola’s campaign ended in the group stages of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers, while for Cameroon it was a case of so close yet so far as they were knocked out in the playoffs.
Cameroon lost 1-0 to DR Congo after an injury-time winner upset the Indomitable Lions.
For those Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates players – as well as several others – their dreams of playing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup have been dashed.
They will have to sit back and watch their club team-mates in action.