Confirmed: Bafana Bafana starting XI vs Mexico

Coach Hugo Broos’ Bafana Bafana side step into the game after four matches without a win. trojkonferencja2024.pl

Mexico, who are the favourites for the match, are unbeaten in eight outings.

South Africa starting line up:

Ronwen Williams, Khuliso Mudau, Aubrey Modiba, Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Ime Okon, Nkosinathi Sibisi, Teboho Mokoena, Sphephelo Sithole, Jayden Adams, Iqraam Rayners, Lyle Foster.

Substitutes: Ricardo Goss (GK), Sipho Chaine (GK), Thalente Mbatha, Thapelo Maseko, Kamogelo Sebelebele, Thabang Matuludi, Khulumani Ndamane, Themba Zwane, Relebohile Mofokeng, Tshepang Moremi, Evidence Makgopa, Olwethu Makhanya, Oswin Appollis, Bradley Cross.

Mexico starting line up:

Raúl RangelI, Israel Reyes, César Montes, Johan Vásquez, Jesús Gallardo, Érik Lira, Roberto Alvarado, Bryan Gutiérrez, Álvaro Fidalgo, Julián Quiñones, Raúl Jiménez

Substitutes: (GK)Carlos Acevedo, (GK) Guillermo Ochoa, Jorge Sánchez, Mateo Chávez, Edson Álvarez, Luis Chávez, Luis Romo, Gilberto Mora, Obed Vargas, Orbelín Pineda, Guillermo Martinez, Armando González, Santiago Giménez, Alexis Vega, César Huerta.

WHERE TO WATCH MEXICO VS BAFANA BAFANA

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has confirmed that the 2026 FIFA World Cup opener will be broadcast live on SABC 1, SABC 3 and SABC’s digital website and app.

DSTV’s SuperSport will also air the game on channel 202.

HOW CAN BAFANA BAFANA QUALIFY FOR THE ROUND OF 32?

The top two teams in each of the 12 groups will qualify automatically. The eight best third-placed teams across all the groups will also advance.

Also read: Who are South Africa’s most-capped players of all time?

Scenario 1: Automatic Qualification

• Beat Mexico
• Beat Czech Republic

South Africa qualify with a game to spare.

Scenario 2: Finish As Runners-Up

• Collect between four and six points
• Finish above either South Korea or Czech Republic

Scenario 3: Qualify As One Of The Best Third-Placed Teams

• Finish third in Group A
• Have a superior points tally, goal difference and goals scored record compared to other third-placed nations.

HOW HAVE SOUTH AFRICA PERFORMED AT PREVIOUS WORLD CUPS?

France 1998

• Lost 3-0 vs France
• Drew 1-1 vs Denmark
• Drew 2-2 vs Saudi Arabia

Finish: Third in group

Korea/Japan 2002

• Drew 2-2 vs Paraguay
• Beat Slovenia 1-0
• Lost 3-2 vs Spain

Finish: Third in group

South Africa 2010

• Drew 1-1 vs Mexico
• Lost 3-0 vs Uruguay
• Beat France 2-1

Finish: Third in group

Russia 2018

Did not qualify

Qatar 2022

Did not qualify

Other Group A Fixtures

• 18 June 2026
• Czech Republic vs South Africa
• Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, United States
• 18:00 (SA time)

• 25 June 2026
• South Africa vs South Korea
• Estadio BBVA, Guadalupe, Mexico
• 03:00 (SA time).

The 2026 Comrades Marathon is set to reach more viewers than ever before after organisers announced a revolutionary new broadcast partnership that will deliver 13 hours of uninterrupted live coverage free to audiences worldwide on YouTube.

The iconic ultra-marathon, which takes place on Sunday, 14 June, will be broadcast through a collaboration between the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) and T+W, the creative agency behind the acclaimed Chasing the Sun Springbok rugby documentaries and Down: A Comrades Story.

Departure from traditional sports broadcasting

The move marks a significant departure from traditional sports broadcasting and promises what organisers describe as the most immersive coverage in the race’s history.

The first group of elite runners will start at 05:00 in front of the Durban City Hall and finish at the Hollywoodbets Scottsville Racecourse in Pietermaritzburg.

The YouTube broadcast will begin at 04:30 and run, pardon the pun, until the final cut-off gun sounds at 17:30.

Bringing Viewers Inside the Race

According to well-known South African runner and blogger, Stuart Mann, unlike conventional marathon broadcasts that rely heavily on fixed cameras and studio-based commentary, the 2026 production aims to place viewers directly inside “The Ultimate Human Race”.

The broadcast will feature 44 mobile cameras equipped with audio capabilities, allowing crews to interact with runners throughout the race.

More than 20 additional live feeds will also be available, enabling viewers to follow different parts of the race simultaneously.

Fans will not only be able to watch the main YouTube broadcast but will also have access to a Stream Bridge platform, allowing them to select and monitor multiple live feeds from across the route between Durban and Pietermaritzburg.

The coverage will include extensive tracking technology, with 15 timing points positioned along the route, 75 live trackers in operation and GPS tracking for the leading men and women to provide real-time pace analysis, splits and race gaps.

Focus on Elites and Everyday Heroes

The first half of the broadcast will concentrate on the elite race at the front of the field, including the tactical battles expected between defending champions and contenders on the gruelling climb up Polly Shortts, one of the most decisive sections of the route.

The latter stages of the coverage will shift focus to the thousands of recreational runners battling to beat the race’s strict 12-hour cut-off.

Organisers say the aim is to capture not only the competition at the front but also the emotional and personal stories unfolding throughout the field.

For the first time, viewers will also gain insight into the famous 12-hour bus, following runners striving to reach the finish before the final cut-off gun sounds in Scottsville.

Star-Studded Commentary Team

Veteran broadcaster Gerald de Kock will lead the commentary team alongside Comrades legends Bruce Fordyce and Barry Holland.

Fordyce remains the most successful runner in Comrades history with nine victories, while both he and Holland are widely regarded as authorities on the race’s rich history.

Women’s race analysis will be provided by Adele Broodryk, who has finished runner-up to multiple champion Gerda Steyn and brings first-hand experience of competing at the highest level.

The wider broadcast team includes Mosibodi Whitehead, Themba Madima, Wesley Botton and on-course commentator OG Molefi.

READ | Gerda Steyn in for massive Comrades Marathon pay day

A New Era for Comrades

T+W Livestream Executive Producer Jack Davis said the move to YouTube reflects changing global viewing habits.

“South African sport is at a seminal moment with Comrades Marathon bravely forging forward into the future. The rest of the world is watching sport – and live sport in particular – on YouTube.”

CMA board member and head of marketing and sponsorship Carel Nolte described the project as the beginning of a new chapter for the race.

“We’re wanting to reinforce the superb history of this race and the stories from the past. We’re going to tell different kinds of stories as well this year from different perspectives which we’re really excited about,” he said.

Nolte emphasised that the initiative is a partnership between the CMA and T+W and hinted that further innovations could follow in future years.

Eyes on the Centenary

The 2026 race comes just one year before the Comrades Marathon celebrates its historic 100th running in 2027.

With 21 600+ runners preparing to tackle the 85.777km ‘Up’ Run from Durban to Pietermaritzburg, organisers believe this year’s enhanced broadcast will showcase not only the elite athletes but also the stories, struggles and triumphs that have made the race one of South Africa’s most treasured sporting events.

For those unable to watch live, organisers have confirmed that the full broadcast will remain available online for 48 hours after the race.

According to Mann, SABC 2 will also take a feed of the YouTube stream and broadcast it live.

South Africa have more than enough players to choose from for their season-opening Springbok v Barbarians non-Test and SA ‘A’ v Zimbabwe matches in Gqeberha on 20 June, despite an extensive injury list and the entire Bulls squad being unavailable, head coach Rassie Erasmus said.

Erasmus outlined the state of preparations for the international season on Thursday afternoon, saying the teams to play those two games had already been selected.

He said the Springboks were hoping to win all their matches this season. That meant selecting their best-possible team to face England in their opening Nations Championship fixture on 4 July.

There, Erasmus said Bulls players, riding a wave of confidence from their URC final against Leinster, whether they win or lose that, would be immediately drafted into the camp.

Boks target perfect season

“We want to beat England, Scotland and Wales to be in the mix for the end of the year… We want a great start,” Erasmus said.

“The last time we played England [at Ellis Park, in 2018] they were 24-3 up at half time. We can’t give them a start like that again. We will pick our best possible team for the England match.”

In the meantime, the 50-odd player base comprises many uncapped youngsters and players normally on the fringe of selection, who will get a run-in against the Barbarians and Zimbabwe.

“We can mention a hell of a lot of [injured] players but that is not the situation. A lot of these players would not have made the matchday 23.”

He said Kwagga Smith and RG Snyman were the only regular Springboks with long-term injuries. Uncapped Bulls wing Sebastian de Klerk would also be unavailable until next season.

Otherwise, Kai Pratt, Marnus van der Merwe, Frans Malherbe, Trevor Nyakane, Ruan Venter, Deon Fourie, Jean-luc du Preez, Juarno Augustus, Morné van den Berg, Jordan and Jaden Hendrikse, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Ethan Hooker, Henco van Wyk, Francke Horne, Salmaan Moerat and Bronson Mills were unavailable but expected to return at some point.

Springboks still have plenty of players available

Recently injured Grant Williams and Malcolm Marx are already fit, while Eben Etzebeth should return in time for England.

Cobus Reinach would also be ready for England but may be rested. Erasmus said players who have had a large load recently, such as Damian de Allende and Damian Willemse, may also be rested.

“We are still making our decisions there.”

Erasmus told the media that Springbok management did not agree with the narrative that they had an injury problem.

“So we can moan about them [being injured] but they also helped with squad depth so we can rotate…

“We have a hell of a lot of players which we don’t know how to give them game time currently.”

He said this was important as they used this season to balance their goal of winning every game with getting a good look at players who may be called on as back-up for next years World Cup in Australia.

NAIROBI, Kenya, June 11 – The Sports sector has received an increase in the 2026/27 financial year budget after the Cabinet Secretary for Treasury, John Mbadi, allocated KSh 25.2 billion to the Sports, Arts, and Social Development Fund.

The amount is a massive increase from last year’s KSh 13.5 billion as the country prepares to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

“Sports and Arts are vital for national identity, youth empowerment, and economic diversification. We will therefore promote sports at all levels and comply with anti-doping international standards, and commission an indigenous knowledge to create livelihood opportunities,” CS Mbadi read during his budget presentation in the National Assembly on Thursday.

The post Sports Fund Gets Budget Increase For 2026/27 Financial Year appeared first on Capital Sports.

Former Orlando Pirates midfielder Sipho Mbule is reportedly looking for a move abroad having parted ways with the Buccaneers.

The 28-year-old playmaker only spent just season at Pirates before he was released. The Soweto giants opted against renewing his contract.

Teams like Kaizer Chiefs were urged to sign the talented midfielder, who is now a free agent.

Sipho Mbule’s agent Mike Makaab told SABC Sport that the ex-Mamelodi Sundowns star was looking for a move outside South Africa.

“We are looking at opportunities for Sipho,” Makaab said.

“It’s still early days, but there has been a lot of interest.

“He is open to considering a move and would like to further his career outside the borders of South Africa,” he concluded.

Siwelele and Chiefs are believed to be the club interested in Mbule.

Where will Sipho Mbule end up

Former Kaizer Chiefs forward Benjamin Reed has urged his former club to sign Mbule. He believes the 28-year-old star can influence matches and turn things around for Amakhosi.

“In South Africa, we hardly have the talent of players like Sipho Mbule,” Reed told KickOff.

“I really don’t know what’s troubling this young man from his God-given talent.”

“Mbule can influence a game on his own. Kaizer Chiefs need a crowd puller like Mbule.

“That’s what we’ve been lacking lately as the culture of the club.”

Sipho Mbule has played for SuperSport United, Mamelodi Sundowns, Sekhukhune United and Orlando Pirates in his eight-year career as a footballer.

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