Bafana Bafana defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi has suffered a major injury setback after tearing his thigh during training with Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire.
The injury is expected to keep the former Orlando Pirates captain sidelined for an extended period, dealing a significant blow to both his club and the South African national team.
Serious Training Injury
Mbokazi picked up the injury shortly after returning from the 2026 FIFA World Cup with Bafana Bafana.
Chicago Fire head coach and Director of Football Gregg Berhalter confirmed that the 20-year-old suffered a torn thigh in training and is expected to be unavailable for “a good amount of time.”
“It’s not good,” Berhalter said following Chicago Fire’s 3-1 defeat to New York City FC.
“He’s going to be out a while. He took a shot in training, hit the ground a little bit, scuffed the ground, and ended up tearing his thigh. And it’s serious. He won’t be back for a good amount of time.”
Huge Blow for Chicago Fire
Mbokazi has already been placed on the MLS Injured List, ruling him out for at least the club’s next six league matches.
He is also set to miss Chicago Fire’s Leagues Cup fixtures against Necaxa, Santos Laguna and Cruz Azul, with an expected return no earlier than the second week of September.
Berhalter admitted replacing the South African defender will not be easy.
“It is a miss. We feel like we have good center backs there anyway, but because he’s a top center back, we’re going to be missing him for a while. So we’ve got to get used to the new normal.”
The injury has also left Chicago Fire with limited options in central defence, prompting the club to consider whether they need to strengthen that position during the transfer window.
Bafana Bafana Concern
The timing of the injury is also a concern for Hugo Broos and Bafana Bafana.
Mbokazi is now doubtful for South Africa’s September 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Guinea and Eritrea as he begins what is expected to be a lengthy rehabilitation process.
His absence would be another significant setback for the national team, with the young defender having established himself as one of South Africa’s most reliable performers over the past year.