Broos makes bold promise ahead of crucial Zimbabwe clash

The stakes couldn’t be higher for the South African senior men’s national team, and coach Hugo Broos is promising a fierce, no-holds-barred performance when Bafana Bafana clashes with Zimbabwe in a critical 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Friday evening.

Kickoff for the highly anticipated match is set for 18:00 [SA time] today at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.

This fixture marks the penultimate match of Bafana Bafana’s qualifying campaign, and the Belgian mentor has stressed that his squad remains fully committed to the task of securing a spot in the World Cup. He emphasised the continuity and unwavering resolve of the current group of players, who have tirelessly kept South Africa’s qualification hopes alive for two years.

“Nothing has changed. I feel that the group, the boys, the players, they know that they are the same players from two months ago. They are the same team with the same quality and with a fantastic mentality,” Broos said. “Tomorrow at six o’clock, the game starts, and we will fight for it like lions because we want to win that game tomorrow, you can be sure of it.”

Bafana Bafana captain Williams: This is the ‘Business End’

Team captain Ronwen Williams echoed the coach’s sentiment, stating the players are aware of the immense pressure and are determined to secure maximum points from their final two qualifiers—against Zimbabwe on Friday and Rwanda next Tuesday in Mbombela.

“We know what is at stake. This is the business end of the qualifiers, but nothing has changed and we need to be the same team we have been for the last two or three years. We have been growing, and we have been so good, but we need to finish it on a positive note,” Williams stated. “We have set ourselves high standards. When we started the World Cup campaign, we said we wanted to qualify, and it is close now.”

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos issues rallying call ahead of Zimbabwe showdown! #BafanaPride@SABC_Sport pic.twitter.com/Vv87fKhOF0

— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) October 9, 2025

Rousing Welcome and Political Support

The team’s arrival in Durban on Thursday was met with a rousing welcome, as fans greeted Bafana Bafana at the King Shaka International Airport and later at their North Beach hotel. Broos expressed hope that this passion would be translated into a powerful atmosphere in the stands at the Moses Mabhida Stadium tomorrow.

In a show of support, a high-level delegation paid the team a visit on Thursday to offer well wishes. The group included the KwaZulu-Natal MEC of Sports Arts and Culture, Mntomuhle Khawula, SAFA president Dr Danny Jordaan, KwaZulu-Natal Sport Confederation president Thami Mchunu, and SAFA NEC member and SAFA KZN chairperson Kwenzakwakhe Ngwenya.