Kaizer Chiefs will have mixed feelings following the end of Bafana Bafana’s historic FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign, as the Soweto giants have made unwanted history. Despite having one representative in coach Hugo Broos’ 26-man squad in defender Bradley Cross, the Amakhosi saw no player step onto the pitch for South Africa during the tournament. Cross did not play a single minute, marking the first time in four World Cup appearances that no Kaizer Chiefs player has featured in a match for Bafana Bafana on football’s biggest stage.
This break in a proud tradition stretches back to France 1998, when Doctor Khumalo came off the bench against Saudi Arabia. At the 2002 tournament in South Korea and Japan, Cyril Nzama played every minute while Jabu Pule also saw action off the bench. The 2010 home World Cup was a high point, with club legends Itumeleng Khune, Simphiwe Tshabalala, and Reneilwe Letsholonyane all playing prominent roles. In 2026,