CK Updates
Broos explains reason for Bafana camp location
South Africa players during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations South Africa Training at TS Laarbi Ben Mbarek in Marrakech, Morocco on 28 December 2025 ©Alche Greeff/BackpagePix
Friday Feb 27, 2026. 11:00
Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has explained the reasoning for South Africa selecting Pachuca in Mexico as the team’s home base for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
South Africa will play two of its three group games in Mexico. The opening game against hosts Mexico will be held at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, while the country’s final group game will be played against South Korea at the Estadio BBVA Bancomer in Guadalupe.
Bafana will train at the renowned Universidad del Futbol, while they will stay at the Camino Real Pachuca hotel. Pachuca is roughly 90 kilometers from Mexico City.
Broos, who played for Belgium in the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, expressed his delight with the decision.
“I knew, I was experienced that before we should play that game against Mexico that we needed a high altitude camp. So I met the people from Pachuca already in Washington [after the draw]. They proposed to me the location here and I said to them, ‘Okay, we will see in the next weeks what we are going to do, what the best options are, and we will let you know.’
“So there were a few other options, but one thing was very important for me that the fact that we should be already in Mexico and start the high altitude camp and not having to do a trip again from I don’t know where to come here in Mexico a few days before the game,” said Broos, while in Pachuca, having inspected the facilities.
“I wanted to see also the facilities, because the facilities have to be good. So that’s why yesterday we had the visit of the location here in the university. I’m very pleased with the facilities.”
“That’s why we decided already yesterday together with my team manager that this will be our home, this will be our base camp for the World Cup in two, three months. I’m very happy that we found something that pleases us very much. The reception we received and the attention we received in the past days makes me happy too,” he stated.
With world class facilities, close proximity to the first match, and the ability to prepare at altitude, the location ticked all necessary boxes for Broos.
By Nic Gleeson
Former West Ham, QPR and Czech Republic goalkeeper Ludek Miklosko has died at the age of 64.
Miklosko made almost 400 appearances for the Hammers from 1990 to 1998 and was much loved by supporters, who regularly sang his name long after he left the club.
He later returned as a goalkeeping coach.
Miklosko withdrew from cancer treatment in December 2024, three years after his diagnosis.
Days later he returned to West Ham’s London Stadium for a Premier League match against Liverpool to a hero’s reception.
A West Ham statement read: “It is with deep and profound sadness that West Ham United announces the passing of legendary former goalkeeper and coach, Luděk Miklosko.
“Rest in peace Ludek, our beloved, inspirational goalkeeper and gentle giant of a man.”
More to follow.
Going into the 2026 season, few people would have backed Zverev to win two Grand Slam tournaments, with the German having already lost three major finals in a career which looked in danger of not living up to expectation.
But injuries to his biggest rivals – Alcaraz missing the French Open and Wimbledon, with Sinner ruled out of the US Open – opened the door for Zverev.
A below-par Zverev scraped through the opening rounds at Flushing Meadows in a series of early-morning finishes, but he gradually improved over a fortnight where he did not play a top-20 opponent until Shelton.
Zverev had not lost to Shelton in their five previous meetings and immediately capitalised on a nervy start by his opponent.
Shelton double-faulted on break point in the first game of the match, handing over the type of initiative that opponents often struggle to wrestle back from Zverev.
Through the strength of his first serve, and his ability to unpick Shelton’s weaker backhand in the baseline exchanges, Zverev rolled through the opening set and clinched it when Shelton hit another double fault on set point.
Zverev continued to patiently draw mistakes from Shelton in the second set, but without being gifted a break when his only opportunity arrived in the fourth game.
He instead showed why he has a strong tie-break record with another nerveless display and, unlike in the 2020 US Open final when he lost from a two-set lead, kept his composure in the pressure moments to secure a commanding victory.
Addressing his team which is led by his father Alexander senior and brother Mischa, Zverev said: “We went 30 years without winning a Grand Slam title and now won two in the span of three months.
“I think God has seen how hard we have worked, how hard we have suffered and how much pain we went through.
“I think 2026 is the outcome of all the years that happened before.”
With Haaland’s goal settling the match, United were unsurprisingly disappointed by the decision.
“I think it was offside,” said Martinez. “And what I can’t understand is the rules. I want to be calm now, I want to control myself.
“It’s so hard because you lose a derby, you lose three points at home, and every season they’re [referees] coming to our club, they explain for one hour the rules, and they look so confident with that, and then after [there are] five or six people doing these kind of mistakes in the Premier League – it’s unacceptable.
“It’s the best league in the world, you have the best teams in the world, the best players in the world, and now we have to go home with this injustice.”
United boss Carrick also expressed his confusion.
“We put things in place in the game now, we have people in offices with all the screens for this decision,” he said.
“It’s more worrying about if that’s the interpretation of football now. If that’s the interpretation of not interfering in the game now, that’s really worrying for me. It’s a staggering explanation.
“The decision isn’t going to change the season, but it’s had a major impact on the game.”
Wayne Rooney, part of the BBC’s MOTD2 team, said: “Surely it’s offside. Martinez is impacted by Fernandez’s movement, and he is offside.”
Gary Neville said on Sky Sports: “I think we’ll see some sort of apology from the referee’s association, there’s no doubt Fernandez is playing that ball and is trying to put off Martinez. I think it’s one they’ll recognising they got wrong.”
Micah Richards added: “I think it’s been a bad day for referees. They got the Foden decision wrong and the Fernandez decision wrong. I think they got it so wrong but I don’t think it takes anything away from City’s performance.”
Meanwhile, City boss Maresca said: “I think it was onside clearly so it’s good.”
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