In addition to Rushwin Dortley heading off to join the South African national team, a number of other stars that make up the cosmopolitan Amakhosi squad will be representing their countries during the FIFA international window.

A recent addition to Hugo Broos’ national set-up, Dortley will gain further invaluable experience, and hopefully some game time, when Bafana Bafana host the Republic of Congo at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Friday, 11 October, before both teams relocate to Brazzaville for the reciprocal Group K fixture, at Stade Alphonse Massemba four days later. South Africa are well positioned, lying second to Uganda on goal difference, with four points from two matches.

Meanwhile in Group D, Fiacre Ntwari is likely to be in goal when third-placed Rwanda play away against second-placed Benin on Friday, 11 October at Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire and again on home soil at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali on Tuesaday,15 October.

Defender, Thatayaone Ditlhokwe and Botswana face a difficult trip to the Estádio Nacional de Cabo Verde in the capital city, Praia on Thursday,10 October before they do battle again back at home at Francistown Stadium on 15 October. Botswana currently prop up Group C, with no points so far.

In the same group, Amakhosi goalkeeper coach Ilyes Mzoughi will link up with third-placed Mauritania on a trip to lock horns with table toppers, Egypt at the Cairo International Stadium on Friday, 11 October, and then on home turf at Cheikha Ould Boïdiya Stadium in Nouakchott, the following Tuesday.

Midfelder, Edson Castillo will be flying across the Atlantic ocean to represent his nation, Venezuela, in two CONMEBOL 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches, at home to continental and world champions, Argentina on Friday, 11 October, (2:30 AM IST) at Estadio Monumental in Maturín, and away to Paraguay on 16 October at Estadio Defensores del Chaco in Asuncion. Venezuela currently occupy the sixth and last automatic qualifying spot after eight of the 18 rounds in the gruelling 10-nation league format that determines which South American countries will make it to the finals in USA, Mexico and Canada in two years’ time.