SAFA Announce Initial SA U15 Squad

SAFA have announced a 52-man preliminary squad for the newly formed SA U15 side, which will take part in a Six Nations International Tournament to be held in December 2023.

After the first-ever SA U15 side was selected after the inaugural U15 Technical Development Scheme Tournament, which was won by Kaizer Chiefs, SAFA are now preparing for two international camps in October and November.

“We need to prepare our juniors from a younger age, so that when they get to the competitive age of U17 they have gained more international caps and understand our playing philosophy,” Steenbok told SAFA.

“The Technical Committee of SAFA saw that we have very talented players at youth level, however, they do not have sufficient experience to compete against other nations in high level competitions.

“We have, therefore, identified this group of U15 players to be the next core of the U17 national team that will represent South Africa in 2025.

“We aim at developing them for the next two years so that we can compete in the next U17 CAF African Cup of Nations, and to qualify for the next FIFA U17 World Cup.”

The team will be coached by 49-year-old Godfrey Sapula, a former Bafana Bafana player who starred for Jomo Cosmos, Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates and also had a spell in Turkey with Ankaragucu and with Colo Colo in Chile.

He’ll be assisted by another Bafana legend in 54-year-old Thabo Mngomeni, the former Orlando Pirates captain and Umtata Bucks star, as well as Smuts Ndlovu and Lazarus Kgosana.

Among those selected are six players from Kaizer Chiefs, who had won the U15 Technical Development Scheme Tournament, while Thabela Siyabonga Malomane from the Junior Khanye Academy also made the selection.

Below is the full 52-man preliminary squad: