South Africa will host Chipolopolo in Gqeberha as their sole international match during the FIFA window, with Broos cautious about overburdening his players given their club commitments ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations starting in Morocco on December 21.

“Initially, I intended to let the players from Sundowns and Pirates remain with their clubs due to their demanding schedules. However, I changed my mind because my goal is to win,” Broos told journalists in Johannesburg on Monday.

When FIFA awarded their 2-0 victory over Lesotho in March as a 3-0 forfeit due to fielding an ineligible player, Teboho MokoenaBafana dropped from ninth to tenth place in the FIFA Rankings.

Although it may not seem like a significant drop, with the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw approaching in December, it could have a major impact on the seedings.

“We are here preparing for the friendly match on Saturday. But for me, friendlies don’t exist; every match requires focus, concentration, and a drive to win. This game will be no different. I want to win on Saturday, nothing less,” Broos stated.

“It’s crucial for our ranking. We aim to remain in the top 10 and even reclaim ninth place. I believe the loss to Lesotho caused us to fall to tenth. With AFCON just a month away, losing this match would be detrimental.

“Therefore, I will demand the same focus and concentration from every player as we had during the qualifiers, even though this is not a qualifier.

“I won’t tolerate players treating this game as a casual break. I want a win on Saturday.”

Broos has included Sekhukhune United midfielder Keletso Makgalwa and Orlando Pirates’ Masindi Nemtajela in the squad to evaluate them more closely.

“These two players have performed well for their clubs, and I believe they deserve to be here. Now it’s their responsibility to prove they belong and that they are future assets who can assist us,” Broos explained.

“It might be in the near future or later on, but that’s why they are here. Their club performances matter most, but this is a higher level, and it’s up to them to demonstrate they can make that step.”