Chaine Breaks Silence On Bafana World Cup Squad Selection Fears

Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Sipho Chaine expressed his burning desire to make Hugo Broos’s final Bafana Bafana squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be officially announced at the Union Buildings on Wednesday night.

Broos is expected to confirm his final squad after previously naming a preliminary team for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in June.

South Africa will also face Nicaragua national football team at Orlando Stadium on Friday in a warm-up match ahead of the international fixtures.

From the four goalkeepers named in the preliminary squad, only three are expected to make the final cut. The goalkeepers are Chaine, Ronwen Williams of Mamelodi Sundowns, Ricardo Goss of Siwelele FC, and Brandon Petersen of Kaizer Chiefs.

Chaine’s omission from the squad for the two friendly matches against Panama national football team in March came as a surprise to many, especially considering he had previously been a regular selection in the national team setup.

The Bafana Bafana shot-stopper also broke Williams’ PSL clean-sheet record. Williams had registered 18 clean sheets during the 2022/23 season, but Chaine surpassed that mark with an impressive 21 clean sheets.

Speaking about his national team ambitions, Chaine said he is eager to represent South Africa at the World Cup, although he acknowledged that the final decision is beyond his control.

“It’s every player’s dream to represent the country at the World Cup,” said Chaine.

“The most important thing is to control what I can control, which is to play every game as if it’s my last for Orlando Pirates. What I can control is the number of saves I make and the level of communication I have with everyone around me. That has gone well, and the rest we leave to God. The rest is in the Lord’s hands.”