Compiled by Dylan Bettencourt
- Mbekezeli Mbokazi will miss the rest of Chicago Fire’s 2026 season after tearing a thigh muscle in training.
- The injury is expected to rule him out of Bafana’s Afcon qualifiers against Guinea, Eritrea and Kenya.
Mbekezeli Mbokazi will miss the rest of the 2026 MLS season after tearing a thigh muscle in training.
The injury is also a major blow for Bafana Bafana, with the defender expected to miss four important 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Chicago Fire coach Gregg Berhalter confirmed on Thursday that Mbokazi was ruled out for the year.
“Mbo being ruled out for the year is a tough one,” Berhalter told Apple TV.
Mbokazi suffered the injury after returning from the 2026 Fifa World Cup, where he helped South Africa reach the knockout stages.
He played every minute of Bafana’s four matches at the tournament in Mexico and the United States.
Mbokazi had also made a strong start to his first MLS season.
He started 12 regular-season matches for Chicago Fire and was selected for the MLS All-Star team.
The injury forced him to withdraw from the All-Star game.
His absence now creates another problem for Bafana ahead of their Afcon qualifying campaign.
Mbokazi is set to miss September’s matches against Guinea and Eritrea.
He is also expected to miss the two qualifiers against Kenya in November.
Pictured above: Mbekezeli Mbokazi.
Image source: Chicago Fire/Instagram
