WORLD CUP COUNTDOWN: Broos in thought-provoking goalkeeper selection decisions

The deliberations centered on Bafana Bafana’s goalkeeping department are in motion ahead of the submission of the preliminary squad for the 2026 World Cup.

On this day next month, Bafana will start with the competition opener against Mexico at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on June 11 (21:00 SA time).

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They will then play Czech Republic and South Korea in the other two matches in Group A, and based on the FIFA Club Protection Programme, can start their camp on May 25.

For this week, Hugo Broos will submit his provisional squad of 35-55 players, which will have at least four goalkeepers.

According to FIFA, ‘this provisional list will only be used for internal purposes and will not be published by FIFA’.

Then, the official lists to be published by FIFA on June 2 will have each qualified nation being allowed 23-26 players, and at least three of the players in the final list must be goalkeepers.

"A goalkeeper in the final squad may be replaced by another goalkeeper from the provisional squad in the event of a serious injury or illness at any time during the tournament.

"National teams are permitted to announce their squads at any time, however they are not considered official until confirmed by FIFA on 2 June," says FIFA.

With regards to Bafana, the names under consideration are Ronwen Williams, Brandon Petersen, Ricardo Goss, Sipho Chaine, and Renaldo Leaner.

Leaner has recently been relegated to the bench at Sekhukhune, and that will be a concern.

Chaine is having the best season of all in contention with a record 19 clean sheets in the league for league championship favourites Orlando Pirates.

Goss conceded seven in one match on Saturday but has been a trusted back-up option for three years.

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Petersen has made himself difficult to ignore with what he has done at Kaizer Chiefs this season.

Broos has the option of taking three or four goalkeepers to the World Cup.