South Africa Under-23 head coach Raymond Mdaka and his players are bracing themselves for the start of the 2028 Olympic Games qualifiers. The Olympics will be in Los Angeles. They last participated in the Olympics in Tokyo in 2020.

The team will face Madagascar in the third round of the CAF U23 Afcon and Olympic Games qualifiers next month, and Mdaka’s players will not need passports for the away leg. This is because since Madagascar do not have a stadium that meets Fifa standards, both legs will be played at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville, Pretoria. The first leg, Madagascar’s home game is on Saturday at 3pm, with the return leg on Tuesday, November 17 at 8pm.

Mdaka will also be boosted by the fact that he has talented players who are regulars in their teams. Kaizer Chiefs’ dribbling maestro Mfundo Vilakazi is joined by Orlando Pirates’ Camren Dansin, Simphiwe Selepe, Mpho Padime and Neo Rapoo. From Sundowns, the likes of Gomolemo Kekana, Lazola Maku and Kutlwano Letlhaku are in the team. These players will be joined by the overseas stars such as Shandre Campbell (KV Kortrijk, Belgium), Fletcher Smythe-Lowe (Estoril Praia, Portugal), Enrique Erasmus (Thames FC) and Tylon Smith (New England Revolution, USA).

Mdaka has kept most of the group that faced Algeria in Bloemfontein this month. South Africa came from behind to win the first friendly 3-1, then drew the second 1-1 at the Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium. That camp mattered because this Under-23 side had not been together in a while. Now this is their first fixture. South Africa got a bye after Comoros pulled out. Madagascar also got a free pass.

The winner will face Rwanda or Cameroon in March. After that, the seven remaining countries will join hosts Egypt at the 2027 Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations. The top two there will book tickets to the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.

• South Africa Under-23 head coach Raymond Mdaka and his players are bracing themselves for the start of the 2028 Olympic Games qualifiers.
• The Olympics will be in Los Angeles.
• They last participated in the Olympics in Tokyo in 2020.
• The team will face Madagascar in the third round of the CAF U23 Afcon and Olympic Games qualifiers next month, and Mdaka’s players will not need passports for the away leg.
• This is because since Madagascar do not have a stadium that meets Fifa standards, both legs will be played at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville, Pretoria.