Dr Thulani Ngwenya excited about serving Bafana at 2026 World Cup

Bafana Bafana last appeared at the World Cup finals 16 years ago on home soil in 2010, and Ngwenya still vividly recalls the medical team that served the nation at the time.

READ: Miané Smit notches up maiden ODI 50 in front of family

He is now eagerly looking forward to fulfilling that dream when South Africa competes at the 2026 World Cup in Mexico, the United States and Canada, insisting that representing his own country on the biggest stage means everything to him.

"I remember in 2010 it was Dr Ephraim Nematwerani, when I got to Bafana in 2014, he was the person who mentioned me. It's been a really long time since we have qualified, we need to be proud as a nation," said Ngwenya.

Ngwenya, who was appointed to his role by the national football federation in 2015, believes much of the credit for Bafana Bafana’s return to the global stage should go to head coach Hugo Broos and the strong development structures that have been put in place in the country.

He says the technical leadership and long-term planning have played a key role in the team’s progress and qualification for the World Cup.

The Mpumalanga-born medical doctor is confident that South Africa is building a foundation that will ensure consistent qualification for future World Cups.

He points to the current crop of talented young players and the solid structures supporting them as reasons for his optimism about Bafana Bafana’s future on the international stage.

"I am certain that even after this World Cup in the USA and Canada, I am convinced that this crop will even take us to the next World Cup. We have the U17 and U20 World Cups, all our teams are doing well. It is because of the development and also because of the support," added Ngenya.

Ngwenya has also highlighted the important role played by the media in the growth of football, stressing that its influence forms a crucial part of the puzzle in helping Bafana Bafana qualify for major tournaments such as the Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup.

He believes constructive media support contributes significantly to the overall success of the national team.

"This is more like a puzzle, without one piece of the puzzle the picture is not complete, we all need to play our roles to make sure that the football picture is complete," he expressed.