South Africa World Cup 2026: Union's Makhanya Earns Shock Call-Up

A story of patience, faith, and vindication has emerged from the Philadelphia Union's preseason camp in Georgia, as centerback Olwethu Makhanya has completed a remarkable journey from MLS obscurity to a spot on South Africa's final 2026 World Cup roster

According to The Philadelphia

Inquirer, the 22-year-old, who was largely unknown upon his arrival at Subaru Park in 2023 and benched throughout his first two seasons, has been named to Hugo Broos' Bafana Bafana squad. The selection is a stunning testament to the transformative impact of new Union manager Bradley Carnell, a fellow South African, who handed Makhanya his MLS opportunity and saw him blossom into one of the league's best defenders in 2025, a campaign many felt should have earned him an MLS Defender of the Year nomination. This call-up not only reshapes Makhanya's career but also sends a powerful message about the shifting perceptions of MLS talent on the global stage.

The Road From the Bench to Bafana Bafana

Makhanya’s path to the World Cup was anything but straightforward. Upon joining the Union, he found himself frozen out of the first-team picture under then-manager Jim Curtin, failing to make a single competitive appearance for the club throughout 2023 and 2024, as detailed by The Inquirer. His fortunes changed dramatically with the arrival of Carnell, who placed his trust in his countryman based on their shared heritage and Makhanya's potential.

Carnell’s Crucial Intervention

Carnell’s appointment provided the catalyst. He integrated Makhanya into the starting lineup, and the young defender repaid that faith with exceptional performances. The Inquirer notes that Makhanya was “so good in 2025” that his absence from the MLS Defender of the Year finalist list was considered a snub, especially as his own established teammates, Jakob Glesnes and Kai Wagner, received the nods ahead of him. This domestic form made his continued exclusion from the national team a growing point of contention.

Breaking Through the MLS Bias

The primary obstacle for Makhanya was not his talent but a well-documented institutional prejudice. The Inquirer reports that manager Hugo Broos has long taken a “dim view of MLS,” a sentiment widely believed to be shared by the South African Football Association (SAFA). The prevailing logic dictated that to be considered for the national team, a player needed to compete in a more highly regarded league. Makhanya’s inclusion therefore represents a significant breakthrough, suggesting that the sheer weight of his club performances and perhaps the advocacy of a respected South African voice in Carnell cracked the rigid selection policy.

South Africa’s Broader World Cup Context

Makhanya’s shock selection fits into a wider, hectic picture for the national team as they finalize preparations. ESPN reports that Broos’ squad is managing a whirlwind of emotional and physical extremes following the conclusion of the domestic season. A total of 18 players from the preliminary 32-man squad were involved in the dramatic finales of the South African Premiership and the CAF Champions League, where Orlando Pirates dethroned Mamelodi Sundowns, who then instantly rebounded to lift the continental trophy. This creates a grueling scheduling challenge, with a “send-off match” against Nicaragua at Orlando Stadium on Friday representing the last chance for Broos to assess a weary group before the flight to North America.

The Preliminary Squad Puzzle

According to ESPN, the current 32-man camp must be trimmed to the final 23-26 player roster on Wednesday, meaning the Nicaragua friendly is a high-stakes audition. Makhanya’s unexpected rise directly impacts this calculation, likely pushing a more established domestic-based defender out of the running. The final squad decisions will test Broos’ willingness to balance the chemistry of his domestic title-winners against the form of an uncapped, MLS-based outsider.

A Historic Quest in Group A

Telecomasia.net’s profile of South Africa’s tournament emphasizes the weight of history on the team. The 2026 edition marks the nation’s fourth World Cup appearance, with Bafana Bafana famously never advancing beyond the group stage in 1998, 2002, or as hosts in 2010. Notably, they were eliminated on goal difference by Mexico in 2010, one of their opponents in Group A. Drawn alongside the hosts Mexico, South Korea, and Czechia, Broos’ mission is to secure a first-ever knockout-stage berth. The squad, built around established stars like goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, midfielder Teboho Mokoena, and forward Lyle Foster, now has a wildcard in Makhanya, whose physical, MLS-tested style could prove valuable against the aerial threats of Czechia and the dynamic attacks of South Korea and Mexico.

AI Perspective: Implications of the Makhanya Selection

The inclusion of Olwethu Makhanya on South Africa’s World Cup team is more than a feel-good story; it carries concrete tactical and political ramifications for Hugo Broos’ squad. By selecting a player with no prior international caps and zero professional experience outside MLS, Broos is making a high-risk, high-reward gamble on a player who bypassed the traditional proving grounds of the Premier Soccer League or European leagues.

The immediate consequence is the composition of the centerback depth chart. Established names like Orlando Pirates’ Mbekezeli Mbokazi, listed by Telecomasia.net as a key player, are likely guaranteed starters. However, Makhanya’s profile as a physical, aggressive defender—attributes honed in the rigorous, travel-heavy environment of MLS—offers a specific tactical alternative. In a Group A that features Mexico and South Korea’s agile forwards, and where Broos will likely prioritize a low-block, counter-attacking system, Makhanya emerges as a genuine option to rotate into the lineup or close out games, particularly against the more physical Czechia side

According to The Philadelphia

Inquirer, his 2025 form was statistically among the best in MLS; that top-line data, when reconciled with a modern assessment of the league’s quality, evidently became too compelling for Broos to ignore, overriding the coach’s long-standing skepticism. The player who ultimately loses their spot to facilitate this selection—likely a centerback from the domestic league initially included on the preliminary list—represents the concrete cost of this paradigm shift. For the Union, an MLS club, producing a World Cup defender validates their developmental pathway and the appointment of Carnell, potentially increasing the value and visibility of future exports. This selection definitively proves that a strong performance in a well-coached MLS system can now dismantle even deeply entrenched selection biases against the league. Ultimately, Makhanya’s presence in Fayetteville, Ga. ahead of the send-off against Nicaragua isn’t just a personal milestone; it is a direct statement that the defensive pecking order for South Africa’s push to the knockout rounds is not yet settled.