Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos says Panama are a great choice of opponent as the countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues.
The South African senior men’s national team will face the Central American country in two international friendly matches that will be played at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium and DHL Cape Town Stadium. Bafana Bafana will host the first match at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Friday, 27 March before facing the visitors in the second game in Cape Town on Tuesday, 31 March 2026.
Broos said the two matches will be crucial in his build-up to the tournament and he expects the visitors to test the hosts in Durban and in Cape Town.
“It was the right decision to choose Panama to play two international games here in South Africa. We will learn a lot about the middle American style of playing football. The result is not that important, but I do not want to have two defeats or big defeats. We have to learn about those kinds of countries. But on the hand I also want to see the Bafana Bafana I saw in the last three years. This was something we lost during the recent Africa Cup of Nations and we have to restore it, and that is why there are a few changes in our selections,” he said
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Ime Okon and Renaldo Leaner were among of the early arrivals in the Pretoria camp on Monday morning. But the camp is still missing a few players as the Mamelodi Sundowns contingent played against Stade Malien in an away CAF Champions League quarterfinal return leg match at Stade du 26 Mars, Bamako, in Mali on Sunday. The United States of America-based Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Bongokuhle Hlongwane, Thapelo Maseko and Samukele Kabini are all expected either later tonight or early on Tuesday morning.
Bafana Bafana will remain in Pretoria until Thursday and then travel to Durban ahead of their first match against Panama on Friday night.
SOURCED FROM SAFA WEBSITE.
