Is Dan Malesela taking it too far? Former Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns captain makes sensational prediction that Bafana Bafana 'can win the 2026 FIFA World Cup'

Bafana Bafana qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be jointly organised by the USA, Canada and Mexico.

After a qualification campaign that almost saw their bid veer off course, Hugo Broos' side managed to grab a ticket on the last day of the quest to go to the World Cup.

Former Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns captain Dan Malesela has given his assessment of Broos' squad and the ideal preparations they can have, as he also makes a sensational prediction.

"Without getting too hyped up about the World Cup, we need to consider how we can structure preparations from an administrative perspective," Malesela told KickOff. 

"The key question is, how far can we go in next year's World Cup? Depending on the group we are drawn into, who can we realistically defeat? 

"We must take care of identifying the players who will participate in the World Cup now. It shouldn't be assumed that players who performed well in the qualifiers will automatically secure a spot in the World Cup squad.  

“We don't have much time left. Coach Broos needs ample time to prepare the team, so we must consider how much time we can give him to train with the players. Unfortunately, the league schedule may not allow enough time, especially with the AFCON taking place in between," the Baroka FC coach added.  

"However, we can use the AFCON tournament as a stepping stone by aiming to conquer Africa, arriving at the World Cup as African champions. If we don't perform well in AFCON, we may quickly find ourselves out of the World Cup [running].  

“Preparing a team can sometimes take a year. While it's exciting to qualify for the World Cup, the main focus must be on what happens on the field.

"Changes need to be made now that we have qualified. Both the PSL and SAFA must develop a program for Bafana Bafana," he concluded.

“I don’t think it’s unreasonable of me to say we can win the 2026 World Cup. Everything is possible as long as we have good preparations."

Like what Malesela stated, the 2025 AFCON tournament could help shape Bafana ahead of the World Cup in June next year.

The tournament in Morocco will see players trying to be on top of their game to impress Broos and convince him that they deserve to go to the World Cup.

Additionally, improving on the third-place finish they achieved in 2023 will help Bafana head to North America as a highly motivated side.

Premier Soccer League football could turn out to be more exciting as players try to impress Broos to go to AFCON.

Even South African players plying their trade in foreign leagues could improve themselves to try and catch the attention of Broos.