Broos Targets Win Over Zambia To Boost Bafana’s World Ranking
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has made it clear that victory against Zambia is non-negotiable, as South Africa looks to climb up the FIFA rankings ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw scheduled for 5 December in the United States.
Broos initially considered resting Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates players for the friendly at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday, citing their heavy club schedules. However, he later reversed that decision, insisting that he wants to field his strongest team to secure a win after Bafana dropped from ninth to 10th in the CAF rankings.
Globally, South Africa slipped from 55th to 59th in the latest FIFA World Rankings—a surprising decline given their recent strong performances in the World Cup qualifiers.
Bafana Bafana qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup last month, and Broos believes that a convincing result against Zambia could be crucial to avoiding a “group of death” when the draw takes place.
The next FIFA World Rankings will be released on 21 November.
“For me, friendly games don’t exist,” Broos said.
“Every game, we have to be focused and concentrated and try to win. I want to win on Saturday, and that’s all.”
Broos revealed that his initial plan to rest key players was abandoned in favour of maintaining momentum and improving Bafana’s continental ranking.
“At first, I thought about letting Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates players stay with their clubs because they have a very overloaded programme. But in the end, I changed my mind because I want to win,” he explained.
“Winning is important for our ranking. We want to stay in the top 10 of CAF, or even move back up to ninth. I think the defeat against Lesotho — and the [points deduction from using an ineligible player, Teboho Mokoena] caused us to drop to 10th.”
Broos also stressed the importance of maintaining focus with just over a month left before the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which will be hosted in Morocco from 21 December to 18 January 2026.
“We’re one month away from AFCON, and it wouldn’t be good to lose on Saturday,” he said.
“I will ask every player for focus and concentration, like we had during the qualifiers. Even though this is not a qualifier, I won’t accept players treating these games like a little holiday. I want to win on Saturday.”
Seated alongside Masindi Nemtajela and Keletso Makgalwa, Broos said this international window gives fringe players a final chance to impress before AFCON.
“On the other side, I also called some players I want to observe more closely — that’s why these two guys are here,” he said.
“They’ve performed well for their clubs, and now it’s up to them to prove they belong here, that they can be part of Bafana’s future. Whether it’s the near future or later on, that depends on them. This is a step up, and they must show they can handle it.”
