The South African Football Association (SAFA) has planned two training camps for the newly-formed South African U15 National Team during the FIFA international weeks in October and November, and a final squad will subsequently be selected from this group ahead of the exciting Six Nations International Tournament to be held in December 2023.

The U15 national team was created under the Technical Development Scheme (TDS) in July 2023 when SAFA hosted an U15 interprovincial tournament. A new national side was selected, and a pool of players were identified to become the core base of the U15 national team.

SAFA Technical Director Walter Steenbok implemented the FIFA TDS concept in South Africa and has worked tirelessly to create the U15 National team. He highlighted the main reason behind forming this team.

“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. 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,” he told www.safa.net.

“Therefore, we have, 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.”

A preliminary squad of 52 players has been chosen for the upcoming training camps together with a technical staff of coaches who have vast experience in the youth ranks in South African football.

Coach Godfrey Sapula will be the head coach of the U15 national team as he has a lot of experience with this age group. Coaches Thabo Mngomeni, Smuts Ndlovu and Lazarus Kgosana will be the three assistants.

Prelim squad:

# NAMES TEAM

1 Lwandiso RADEBE SuperSport United

2 Thenkosi GXEKWA Eastern Cape

3 Blackwel lRONIN Gauteng

4 Von Meulen CHRISTIANO School of Excellence

5 Luke HENDRICKS Cape Town Academy

6 Bokamoso MOKOKOSI Kaizer Chiefs

7 Kann TIAGO Gauteng

8 Liam MARTHINIUS Cape Town Academy

9 Tswelelo MAAKE SuperSport United

10 Lebogang MSWANE School of Excellence

11 Royce MALATJI Kaizer Chiefs

12 Steven MENDES Kaizer Chiefs

13 Emile WITBOOI School of Excellence

14 Caleb BENJAMIN Cape Town

15 Karabo MODIKA Gauteng

16 Khumo KOLOTI SuperSport United

17 Simphiwe MLONDO School of Excellence

18 Lesego HLOPHE Kaizer Chiefs

19 Kgaogelo MONANYANE Mamelodi Sundowns

20 David STOBER SuperSport United

21 Siphesihle ZACA KZN Province

22 Lazarus LUCA SuperSport United

23 Tashiel RUGUNANAN Kaizer Chiefs

24 Umphile MALULELE Limpopo Schools U-17

25 Neo BOHLOKO Kaizer Chiefs

26 Inga SAMANA Ubuntu

27 Rhys FERGUSON Ubuntu

28 Hayden BOOYSEN Ubuntu

29 Ishaam TILLING Ubuntu

30 Riley SWARTS Fortuna Sittard, Netherlands

31 Thabela Siyabonga MALOMANE Junior Khanye Academy

32 Misayami MADINI KZN Academy

33 Dyann FUDU KZN Academy

34 Nhlonipho CENGA KZN Academy

35 Sinalo GXOGXO Buffalo City /Eastern Cape

36 Uyathandwa SBOTHOBOTHO Buffalo City /Eastern Cape

37 Reyaan RAFFIE Rapid Viena, Austria

38 Anando PETIT GERMANY BV 04 Dusseldorf,Germany

39 Noah Kai SMITH AL Jazira, UAE

40 Maurius SIMANGA Frederecia,Denmark

41 Samuel NDLOVU Tips FC, Finland

42 Johannes Ayanda ALBERTSEN Silkeborg, Denmark

43 Selwyn STEVEN Cape Town Spurs

44 Thurston JACOBS Cape Town Spurs

45 Zailen JACOBS Cape Town Spurs

46 Amdriano ADAMS Cape Town Spurs

47 Sive PAMA Cape Town City

48 Anovuyo MQOPI Cape Town City

49 Akhanya SOTASHE Cape Town City

50 Jaylen POTGIETER FC Cologne

51 Ntolo NCEBO KZN Schools U-14

52 Ntokozo ZUNGU KZN Schools U-14

Source: South African Football Association