Bafana Bafana could potentially benefit after all Premier League clubs' refusal to allow any of their international contingent of players to travel to countries on the UK's Covid-19 red list.
Midfielder Marvelous Nakamba has been barred from travelling by Premier League club Aston Villa ahead of Zimbabwe's World Cup qualifier against South Africa next month.
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Nakamba is among eight Zimbabwean players based in the UK whose situation has forced ZIFA to delay naming their squad.
Other players likely to miss out are, Tendai Darikwa at Wigan Athletic, Jordan Zemura at Bournemouth, Brendan Galloway (Plymouth Argyle), Ethan Kachosa (Sunderland), Macauley Bonne (Ipswich Town) and Admiral Muskwe at Luton Town who all play in the English lower leagues.
Bafana Bafana will travel across the Limpopo River next week to face their neighbours in an opening Group G clash, which also features Ghana and Ethiopia.
The Covid-19 enforced travel restrictions which enforces a 10-day quarantine period upon returning to the UK has decimated the plans of many red-listed countries ahead of the next international window.
Premier League clubs announced on Tuesday they will 'reluctantly but unanimously' defy FIFA over the release of players considering the quarantine measures and lack of exemptions when travelling back from red zone countries.
Sixty players from 19 Premier League clubs have been affected as they set to travel to 26 red-zone countries in the next FIFA window.
The Premier League's statement pointed out that players' welfare and fitness would be significantly impacted if they go into the 10-day quarantine which would also mean they are unavailable for two Premier League games, a UEFA club competition match day and the third round of the EFL Cup.
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"Premier League clubs have always supported their players' desires to represent their countries – this is a matter of pride for all concerned. However, clubs have reluctantly but rightly come to the conclusion that it would be entirely unreasonable to release players under these new circumstances. We understand the challenges that exist in the international match calendar and remain open to workable solutions," Richard Masters is quoted as saying.
The UK red-list countries and territories:
Afghanistan, Angola, Argentina, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burundi, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Congo (Democratic Republic), Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, French Guiana, Georgia, Guyana, Haiti, Indonesia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Maldives, Mayotte, Mexico, Mongolia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Phillipines, Reunion, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Percy Tau is one of South Africa's 15 most valuable foreign-based players