Orlando Pirates' star Relebohile Mofokeng turns his attention to Bafana Bafana and the Fifa World Cup 2026, after winning the Betway Premiership with the Bucs on Saturday. Photo: backpagepix
Image: Backpagepix
Fresh off their Betway Premiership triumph, Orlando Pirates’ players now turn their attention from domestic glory to international duty, with a major World Cup opportunity awaiting them in the Bafana Bafana setup.
Orlando Pirates have emerged as one of the biggest contributors to the national team picture, with nine of their players included in coach Hugo Broos’ 32-man preliminary squad for the upcoming World Cup campaign.
The announcement caps a standout season for the Soweto giants, who not only secured league success but also underlined the growing influence of their squad at national level.
Contenders for player of the season honours, Relebohile Mofokeng and Oswin Appollis, are expect to have a huge influence, while PSL record breaker in clean sheets, Sipho Chaine's place is up in the air in the goalkeeping department.
Broos is expected to trim the squad down to 26 players on Wednesday, meaning several players currently in camp face a tense wait as they battle for final selection. The Bafana camp is set to officially begin on Monday with all nine Pirates representatives expected to report for duty as preparations intensify ahead of the global tournament.
For Pirates, the timing is significant. After a physically and emotionally demanding title race, their players now face little recovery time before switching into international mode, where expectations remain just as high.
The strong Pirates representation also highlights the club’s growing importance in the national team setup, with their championship-winning campaign serving as further evidence of the squad’s depth, maturity, and tactical discipline.
Broos is believed to have placed emphasis on cohesion and form when selecting his preliminary group, with Pirates’ domestic success making their players hard to ignore in the final assessment.
While club success has already been secured, attention now shifts to individual futures, with World Cup places still up for grabs and competition within the Bafana camp expected to be intense.
As the countdown to final selection continues, Pirates supporters will be watching closely — not only celebrating a league title, but also hoping to see their champions carry that momentum onto the world stage.