MBABANE – Finally, the squad is out!
The long-awaited national team Sihlangu Semnikati squad set to face Malta in next Thursday’s international friendly has finally been unveiled by the Eswatini Football Association (EFA).
The 23-man travelling contingent was officially announced yesterday around 5:00 pm through a press release issued by the local football governing body.
Headlining the call-up is Türkiye-based striker Sithandiwe Mbuli, who is in line to make his national team debut. According to the EFA, Mbuli plays his club football in Türkiye for Narlıdere Belediye Spor.
Research shows that Belediye Spor is a club currently competing within the regional amateur league structures in the İzmir province.
The forward’s inclusion follows recent statements by the Minister for Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs, Bongani Nzima, who told parliament that government had considered casting a wider net to track down emaSwati players in the diaspora to boost national team performance. Minister Nzima revealed this during the first quarter of the current financial year.
It is worth noting that this is not the first time Sihlangu has scouted abroad, having previously called up players like Alakhe Mdluli from the AmaZulu development ranks and Tommy Morgan. Earlier in February this year, the technical team also handed a surprise call-up to lesser-known liSwati star Thulani Jingana, who was playing for Betway Premiership side Orbit College before their relegation at the end of the 2025/26 season.
On another note, Sihlangu Captain Lindo Mkhonto, who is based in Zambia with ZESCO United, has been omitted from the squad. In total, interim Coach Dominic Kunene has made 11 changes to the squad that suffered a shock elimination at the hands of Eritrea in March during the preliminary qualifiers for the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2027.
Earlier yesterday morning, EFA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Frederick Mngomezulu clarified the reasons behind the delayed squad announcement. Mngomezulu said that organising Sihlangu’s maiden European trip involved logistical requirements that had to be finalised prior to disclosing the squad. He said securing international passports and visas for players were among the mandatory hurdles to clear.
Mngomezulu added that the association opted to hold back the announcement until they were entirely certain that every player on the list was cleared to travel to avoid heartbreaks among players.
Sihlangu depart on Monday ahead of Thursday’s game, which is scheduled for a 6:30 pm kick-off in Malta.
On another front, the EFA revealed that the National Under-23 squad is already in full camp at Lobamba, though they have faced minor setbacks as some players are currently sitting for examinations.
Mngomezulu expressed confidence that camp numbers will swell as the week draws to a close, noting that Algeria are expected to touch down at midnight on Monday for the first leg of their second preliminary round tie of the Under-23 AFCON.
The match will be played at Somhlolo National Stadium on Wednesday, with kick-off set for 4pm.
