The head coach of the Bafana Bafana national team, Pitso Mosimane, provided his justifications regarding the decision to exclude forward Lyle Foster from the squad.
Mosimane explained why Foster was not included in the first Bafana Bafana squad since the coach's return, citing the striker's lack of regular playing time.
The Bafana Bafana team will begin its qualification campaign for the Africa Cup of Nations 2027 against Guinea at Orlando Stadium on September 26. They will then face Eritrea in Egypt on September 30. After that, the team will remain in Egypt for a friendly match against the hosts on October 4, which will give Mosimane three matches to assess his squad and begin team formation.
One of the notable players who did not make the 30-man squad is Foster. He recently moved from Burnley to Houston Dynamo as part of Major League Soccer with a loan until June 2027.
Mosimane stated that he personally spoke with Foster before making the decision not to include him in the upcoming games. The coach said: 'I spoke with him personally; he wasn't playing, he wasn't on the player list, and he didn't participate in any friendly matches, only appeared occasionally, and he moved (to a new team too). The last time we saw him play was in Mexico.'
Foster's move to Houston allows the forward to regain regular playing time after issues with consistent participation at Burnley. However, for Mosimane, the priority is having players who are actively playing and can immediately contribute during the international window.
The Bafana coach also introduced several new faces to the squad, including young players Puso Ditjane and Shandre Campbell, who received their first call-up under the returning coach. Mosimane is particularly interested in seeing the reaction of the young players to the opportunity to join a team that includes many players who represented South Africa at the 2026 World Cup.
Ditjane gained recognition for his performances with Chicago Fire, while Campbell continues to develop in Belgium with KV Kortrijk. Their inclusion reflects Mosimane's desire to integrate young players while maintaining a core of experienced Bafana internationals.
The upcoming matches will provide young players with an early opportunity to impress, while Foster will now aim to use his move to MLS to regain form and re-enter Mosimane's plans.