Snubbed striker Percy Tau seems to be back in South Africa national coach Hugo Broos’ good graces after the Qatar SC player was named in a preliminary squad ahead of two 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifier games against Lesotho and Benin later on this month.

Bafana Bafana face Lesotho on 17 March and Benin on 24 March and are currently in second place in Group C of the African World Cup qualifying campaign.
Broos left Tau out of his previous groups in October and November last year where Bafana Bafana managed three wins and a draw in qualifying for the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations tournament that takes place from 21 December to 18 January in Morocco.
Off-field woes for Tau
The Bafana Bafana boss’ decision to sideline Tau did not sit well with many fans but ahead of his team’s Afcon qualifiers against Uganda and South Sudan, Broos revealed how Tau himself said he was not ready to play for his country.
Especially after the Bafana Bafana ace did not get much game time at his former Egypt-based club Al Ahly.
With Broos stating at the time:
Personal issues, he asked me, coach, please don’t call me, I’m not ready to come because of personal issues, what can I say? You have to come? Then he’s not ready… maybe he has to look for another team where he will be more happy, less problems.
So that we have at least the old, well-known Percy Tau from a few years ago and I hope for it, we know the qualities of Percy can help us a lot.
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Show more newsBut we have to be honest also, and evaluate the performances with the national team, it’s never been [at the level] of his qualities as a player, he can do more for the national team, I’m sure. But yeah, there’s always something that [prevents] those big performances.
And Tau’s possible return will be a big boost for the national team, especially as Mamelodi Sundowns star and South Africa’s most influential player during the Afcon qualifiers Temba Zwane still unavailable due to injury.
New lease of life for Tau in Qatar
In January Tau made the move to his new Qatar Stars League club, Qatar SC, taking on board Broos’ advice that a change of scenery might reignite the player’s confidence.
At the time Broos said of why Tau should leave Al Ahly:
Then there was the troubles, with Al Ahly, he wasn’t playing, they talked about him leaving, he’s not leaving, now I heard they want him to stay, so it’s yes or no, yes or no. The fact that he’s not here now are for personal reasons.
Meanwhile Broos has also rewarded form in his preliminary group with Deano van Rooyen and Tshegofatso Mabasa (both Orlando Pirates), Rushwin Dortley (Kaizer Chiefs), Jayden Adams and Bathusi Aubaas (both Sundowns) and TS Galaxy duo Samukelo Kabini and Kulumani Ndamane called up.


