{"id":31200,"date":"2026-05-29T15:51:16","date_gmt":"2026-05-29T15:51:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trendifyhubusa.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/29\/south-africa-vs-nicaragua-kick-off-time-how-to-watch-team-news\/"},"modified":"2026-05-29T15:51:16","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T15:51:16","slug":"south-africa-vs-nicaragua-kick-off-time-how-to-watch-team-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trendifyhubusa.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/29\/south-africa-vs-nicaragua-kick-off-time-how-to-watch-team-news\/","title":{"rendered":"South Africa vs. Nicaragua &#8211; Kick-off time, how to watch, team news"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Bafana Bafana will host Nicaragua at Orlando Stadium (known for sponsorship reasons as the Orlando Amstel Arena) on Friday in a <a data-league-guid=\"34f478c4-cf9a-35da-abd5-33db021e09d2\" href=\"https:\/\/africa.espn.com\/football\/league\/_\/name\/FIFA.WORLD\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FIFA World Cup<\/a> send-off match on Friday.<\/p>\n<p>Fans are unlikely to witness Hugo Broos&#8217; team at the peak of its powers just yet after a gruelling end to the club football season. <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"a8da8b8f-12ec-8f1c-757d-27cfec6a4002\" href=\"https:\/\/africa.espn.com\/football\/team?id=7085\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Orlando Pirates<\/a> clinched the <a data-league-guid=\"89de047e-8e43-4fa5-9119-c13b228d7a16\" href=\"https:\/\/africa.espn.com\/football\/league\/_\/name\/RSA.1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">South African Premiership<\/a> on Saturday, ending eight straight seasons of <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"2778fe83-1f6d-517c-eb73-90ed8f28f8fe\" href=\"https:\/\/africa.espn.com\/football\/team?id=7084\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mamelodi Sundowns<\/a> dominance. Sundowns then responded by lifting the CAF Champions League on Sunday after beating <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"a6945df8-27b1-9615-af13-7379154954b9\" href=\"https:\/\/africa.espn.com\/football\/team?id=2869\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Morocco<\/a>&#8216;s AS FAR in a two-legged final, winning 1-0 at home before drawing 1-1 away.<\/p>\n<p>The 32-man preliminary squad, which will be whittled down to 23-26 players on Wednesday, features nine players each from Sundowns and Pirates &#8211; meaning that a total of 18 players were involved in the emotional highs and lows of the past weekend.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"inline editorial float-r\" data-behavior=\"article_related\">\n<h2 class=\"editorial-title\">Editor&#8217;s Picks<\/h2>\n<p>2 Related<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p><a data-clubhouse-guid=\"faa48026-2e98-b16b-32b7-c483e8187f3b\" href=\"https:\/\/africa.espn.com\/football\/team?id=7081\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kaizer Chiefs<\/a> have four players in the preliminary squad, while <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"34f4da7f-bd5b-3205-8334-253a89e6c363\" href=\"https:\/\/africa.espn.com\/football\/team?id=22348\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Durban City<\/a>, <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"1ee9ee98-2dee-8ae0-8bd5-f652a9bf097b\" href=\"https:\/\/africa.espn.com\/football\/team?id=7099\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Polokwane City<\/a> and <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"65365284-bf7d-30da-b7bc-bbbe93fa906c\" href=\"https:\/\/africa.espn.com\/football\/team?id=131361\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Siwelele<\/a> have one apiece. In total, 25 of the 32 players are locally based, meaning they are all fresh from the conclusion of the season.<\/p>\n<p>Of the seven overseas-based players in the preliminary squad, <a data-player-guid=\"d6496831-f787-38e2-b879-8c8ca14ce0c5\" href=\"http:\/\/espn.com\/soccer\/player\/_\/id\/400594\/mbekezeli-mbokazi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mbekezeli Mbokazi<\/a> (Chicago Fire) and <a data-player-guid=\"e2244ae1-428c-3bdb-874f-65359b2dabf5\" href=\"http:\/\/espn.com\/soccer\/player\/_\/id\/351372\/olwethu-makhanya\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Olwethu Makhanya<\/a> (<a data-clubhouse-guid=\"669bfb78-a442-cc53-35f1-2eacacf50a7a\" href=\"https:\/\/africa.espn.com\/football\/team?id=10739\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Philadelphia Union<\/a>) each play for Major League Soccer teams &#8211; complicating the prospects of the duo appearing in the send-off match before Bafana Bafana fly to a World Cup in North America.<\/p>\n<p><a data-player-guid=\"e910f64e-853b-42cd-caf9-17af19877ae1\" href=\"http:\/\/espn.com\/soccer\/player\/_\/id\/264751\/lyle-foster\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lyle Foster<\/a> (<a data-clubhouse-guid=\"0e306f49-0f1d-27a2-4259-0643dce9c676\" href=\"https:\/\/africa.espn.com\/football\/team?id=379\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Burnley<\/a>), Thapelo Maseko (AEL Limassol), Ime Okon (Hannover 96), Samukele Kabini (Molde), and Sphephelo Sithole (CD <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"f3a772fd-672e-bbd3-a612-15c0c89309fe\" href=\"https:\/\/africa.espn.com\/football\/team?id=12706\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tondela<\/a>) are the five European-based players in the squad, and have a far greater chance of playing in this match than those playing their club football in the USA.<\/p>\n<p>Nicaragua failed to qualify for the World Cup in the USA, <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"9e213fae-5b9d-d331-8b4b-33abdaf57b4f\" href=\"https:\/\/africa.espn.com\/football\/team?id=203\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mexico<\/a> and <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"c09eeeeb-7c2d-23f9-1bbf-153ff7e59905\" href=\"https:\/\/africa.espn.com\/football\/team?id=206\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Canada<\/a>, finishing bottom of a group featuring <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"66789dc9-a09d-5ee7-ac6a-dca73c3ed88d\" href=\"https:\/\/africa.espn.com\/football\/team?id=2654\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Haiti<\/a>, <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"7d8c7e6f-7699-1521-1947-9308b78b4196\" href=\"https:\/\/africa.espn.com\/football\/team?id=215\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Honduras<\/a> and <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"e5634dd3-9e30-11c9-8952-63aca732fd79\" href=\"https:\/\/africa.espn.com\/football\/team?id=214\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Costa Rica<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Bafana Bafana will kick off the tournament against Mexico on June 11 before subsequent fixtures against <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"14608173-473c-c347-d753-e45fe20730f5\" href=\"https:\/\/africa.espn.com\/football\/team?id=450\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Czechia<\/a> on June 18 and <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"c9234cfc-835e-ba2d-c299-a202c5acace0\" href=\"https:\/\/africa.espn.com\/football\/team?id=451\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">South Korea<\/a> on June 24 (with kick-off at 3AM on June 25 SAST).<\/p>\n<aside class=\"inline inline-photo full\">\n<figure><picture><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/a.espncdn.com\/combiner\/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2025%2F1224%2Fr1593298_1296x729_16%2D9.jpg&amp;w=570&amp;format=jpg, https:\/\/a.espncdn.com\/combiner\/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2025%2F1224%2Fr1593298_1296x729_16%2D9.jpg&amp;w=1140&amp;cquality=40&amp;format=jpg 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 376px)\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/a.espncdn.com\/combiner\/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2025%2F1224%2Fr1593298_1296x729_16%2D9.jpg&amp;w=375, https:\/\/a.espncdn.com\/combiner\/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2025%2F1224%2Fr1593298_1296x729_16%2D9.jpg&amp;w=750&amp;cquality=40&amp;format=jpg 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 375px)\"><img class=\" lazyload lazyload\" data-image-container=\".inline-photo\" height=\"320\" width=\"570\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/picture><figcaption class=\"photoCaption\">Bafana Bafana will rely on Teboho Mokoena&#8217;s experience alongside Huge Broos.\u00a0<cite>Khaled DESOUKI \/ AFP via Getty Images<\/cite><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/aside>\n<h2>Key details<\/h2>\n<p>Date: Friday, May 29 at 18:00 CAT (16:00 GMT)<\/p>\n<p>Venue: Orlando Stadium (Orlando Amstel Arena)<\/p>\n<p>How to watch: The South African Football Association (SAFA) confirmed via the <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/BafanaBafana\/status\/2055567533789319253?s=20\" target=\"_blank\">Bafana Bafana X account<\/a> that the match would air on SABC, the public broadcaster, as is the norm for their games<\/p>\n<h2>Team news<\/h2>\n<p><a data-player-guid=\"03cd23d0-1511-3216-9c2e-8107069dd643\" href=\"http:\/\/espn.com\/soccer\/player\/_\/id\/380803\/mohau-nkota\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mohau Nkota<\/a> was the biggest surprise omission from the Bafana Bafana preliminary squad, having picked up an injury in training with <a data-league-guid=\"00bb591a-b87e-39ee-91bf-1f9cf0ecfe5a\" href=\"https:\/\/africa.espn.com\/football\/league\/_\/name\/KSA.1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Saudi Pro League<\/a> club Al-Ettifaq two weeks ago, as per his agency &#8211; P Management &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DYo1av6DIz4\/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">via their Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Nicaragua have named a youthful squad for their trip to <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"d4889543-c668-800d-56fa-542c10023978\" href=\"https:\/\/africa.espn.com\/football\/team?id=467\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">South Africa<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Expected lineups<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>South Africa<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>GK Brandon Petersen<\/p>\n<p>LB <a data-player-guid=\"1a95a2d2-9496-3f62-9e17-109f916f966c\" href=\"http:\/\/espn.com\/soccer\/player\/_\/id\/310593\/bradley-cross\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bradley Cross<\/a> | CB <a data-player-guid=\"7aacd36f-bd19-323d-8c04-ed8e8175b728\" href=\"http:\/\/espn.com\/soccer\/player\/_\/id\/390448\/khulumani-ndamane\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Khulumani Ndamane<\/a> | CB Ime Okon | RB Thabang Matuludi<\/p>\n<p>CM <a data-player-guid=\"a01089b6-9a63-3029-a78d-2f0f91678e9d\" href=\"http:\/\/espn.com\/soccer\/player\/_\/id\/301321\/thalente-mbatha\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Thalente Mbatha<\/a> | CM Lebo Maboe<\/p>\n<p>LW <a data-player-guid=\"0d526281-ed23-3ff5-b1c2-8c771b17e1b5\" href=\"http:\/\/espn.com\/soccer\/player\/_\/id\/313399\/tshepang-moremi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tshepang Moremi<\/a> | AM <a data-player-guid=\"a378a3c4-e7b3-3509-9cde-65c43d46300d\" href=\"http:\/\/espn.com\/soccer\/player\/_\/id\/361211\/relebohile-mofokeng\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Relebohile Mofokeng<\/a> | RW Thapelo Maseko<\/p>\n<p>ST <a data-player-guid=\"76a1f61a-3cfe-9563-3f60-81556c081406\" href=\"http:\/\/espn.com\/soccer\/player\/_\/id\/291141\/iqraam-rayners\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Iqraam Rayners<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Nicaragua<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>GK Darryl Parker<\/p>\n<p>LWB Anyelo Vel\u00e1squez | CB Steven C\u00e1ceres | CB Jason Coronel | CB Evert Mart\u00ednez | RWB Jefferson Rivera<\/p>\n<p>CM Osmin Salinas | CM Jonathan Moncada<\/p>\n<p>LW Jorge Garc\u00eda | ST Ariagner Smith | RW Raheem Cole<\/p>\n<h2>Stats<\/h2>\n<p><a data-player-guid=\"bc40584b-d863-36e8-0321-c2a527fdc9ef\" href=\"http:\/\/espn.com\/soccer\/player\/_\/id\/256691\/teboho-mokoena\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Teboho Mokoena<\/a> has earned more appearances (46) than any other South Africa player under Hugo Broos, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.transfermarkt.co.za\/hugo-broos\/eingesetzteSpieler\/trainer\/706\/plus\/0?saison_id=&amp;verein_id=3806&amp;liga=&amp;wettbewerb_id=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">as per Transfermarkt<\/a>. Second on that llist is captain and goalkeeper <a data-player-guid=\"ed34aa86-e2fe-b550-1ff5-ab0dca700f45\" href=\"http:\/\/espn.com\/soccer\/player\/_\/id\/196230\/ronwen-williams\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ronwen Williams<\/a> with 44.<\/p>\n<p>South Africa have never made it to the knockout stage of a FIFA World Cup and are entering their fourth appearance at the tournament. Nicaragua have never qualified for a FIFA World Cup.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><br \/>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bafana Bafana will host Nicaragua at Orlando Stadium (known for sponsorship reasons as the Orlando Amstel Arena) on Friday in<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":31201,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_animmysite_disable_animation":false,"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/a.espncdn.com\/combiner\/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2025%2F1224%2Fr1593298_1296x729_16%2D9.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[213],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31200","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-trending-sports-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/trendifyhubusa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31200","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/trendifyhubusa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/trendifyhubusa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trendifyhubusa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trendifyhubusa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31200"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/trendifyhubusa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31200\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trendifyhubusa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31201"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/trendifyhubusa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31200"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trendifyhubusa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31200"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trendifyhubusa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31200"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}