Bafana Bafana call-ups: Are Kaizer Chiefs’ issues costing them places?

Could Kaizer Chiefs’ domestic and continental issues be costing them more than just trophies?

On 23 October, Pitso Mosimane named his 38-man squad for the AFCON qualifiers against Kenya.

Only one Kaizer Chiefs player was named, but the question is what this decision really shows.

Mosimane’s Bafana Bafana squad: By the numbers

As confirmed by the SAFA website, Mamelodi Sundowns features most prominently in Mosimane’s latest squad list.

13 players from the Chloorkop giants appear across all positions.

The same number of foreign-based players have been called up, including a returning Lyle Foster.

Orlando Pirates have the third-most call-ups, with seven stars in the preliminary squad.

Chiefs have just one, along with Golden Arrows, AmaZulu, Durban City, and Richards Bay.

Even Lebohang Maboe’s inclusion has come with questions, since he is a former Sundowns player under Mosimane.

However, the Bafana Bafana coach has tried to dispel any claims of personal bias.

As cited by Africa Soccer, he was surprised at how many Sundowns players were in the squad, but would not change his mind.

“I’m not here to shake the tree. People can ask those questions about why they’re all at the same team.”

What Mosimane’s selection pattern shows

Jingles’ first squad relied on the core players who featured in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Mosimane was clear that he would focus on continuity before making wholesale changes.

This is reflected in call-ups for players who were “overlooked” by former coach Hugo Broos.

Maboe is among these names, returning to action after a short injury layoff.

Mosimane has since tailored the squad, but not everyone has been impressed.

Junior Khanye, as cited by Briefly, previously questioned whether Themba Zwane and Yanela Mbuthuma had done enough to earn their call-ups.

“I know they’ve got a good relationship; they come a long way… But currently, you’re saying you’re judging players based on their current performance, and then Mshishi, where’s he going? He’s not even playing at Sundowns regularly. So, it doesn’t make sense either.”

Mbuthuma has since been dropped for the home and away games against Kenya this month.

Are Chiefs’ issues affecting Bafana Bafana call-ups?

It’s hard to argue that Kaizer Chiefs have failed to make a major impact this season.

The Amakhosi are fifth in the Premier Soccer League log, with only three wins from nine games.

They were also eliminated in the MTN8 quarter-finals by Golden Arrows.

Chiefs have dropped out of the CAF Confederation Cup too after a loss on penalties to Zambia’s Red Arrows.

At this point, the Carling Knockout Cup or Nedbank Cup could be their only hope at a trophy.

Has this influenced Mosimane’s choices for his broader Bafana Bafana squad?

If this is the case, it’s probably more to do with Chiefs players failing to impress.

The club is already facing the possibility of a coaching change, with Fernando da Cruz said to be in danger.

After the 1-2 Soweto Derby loss on 31 October, the coach blamed the team’s problems on a lack of experience.

He urged fans to temper their expectations, stating that change would not be immediate.

“We must continue to work, but it takes time… It’s not overnight these things can be fixed. We cannot get experience from one day to the next day. It’s training, many games, and we must continue to learn, with competitions of different levels.”

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