Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi (20) has signed three-years contract which has an extension option with Major Soccer League(MSL) side Chicago Fire.
The U.S club confirmed that Mbokazi will occupy a U-22 initiative slot and an international roster position, and his contract will run through 2029, with a Club option for the 2029/30 season. Per Club and MLS Policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“We are excited to welcome Mbekezeli to the Club as we further strengthen our back line,” said Chicago Fire FC,Director of Football and Head Coach,Gregg Berhalter. “In his young career, he has already shown high potential and proven himself to be a strong leader and competitor on the international level. We expect immediate impact and room to grow in future.”
Mbokazi joined the Orlando Pirates senior team at the beginning of this year around March where he caught the attention of many football enthusiasts in the Betway Premiership even commentators end-up giving him the nickname “TLB” because of his outstanding performance at his age.
At the beginning of the current season of the Betway Premiership for 2025/26, Mbokazi was announced as the vice-captain for Orlando Pirates and that never happened in club's history that a new player being given such responsibility.
In the club level, he played over 35 matches for Orlando Pirates in the Betway Premiership and the CAF Champions League, as well as the Premiership MTN 8, Carling Cup Knockout and Nedbank Cup. He won the 2025/26 MTN 8 Cup with the Buccaneers where they were defending their title against Stellenbosch FC.
In the international level, he represented his country both in the U-20 Men's National Team as well as the senior Men's National Team. At the youth level, he participated in the 2024 COSAFA U-20 Cup which South Africa won and qualified for the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.
He made his national team debut in May 2025 against Mozambique and Bafana Bafana won 2-0, and was also selected for FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Nigeria during the September 2025 FIFA International window.
He will be representing his country in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations this month which will be played in Morocco after he was selected by Belgian tactician Hugo Broos.