Football: Why Bafana Bafana could be the dark horse of AFCON 2025?
by Devesh Jaganath | by Devesh Jaganath
South Africa primed for battle against Africa’s heavyweights
South Africa arrive in Morocco riding the momentum of their third-place finish in the Ivory Coast in 2023 and following a stunning 2026 World Cup qualification campaign. You can check out all the key news and insights around the team via our AFCON 2025 predictions.
Bafana Bafana won the continental title back in 1996 and booked their spot in the upcoming edition with an unbeaten record, finishing top of Group K during qualifying with 14 points and an impressive 16 goals scored, while conceding just five.
Thereafter, Hugo Broos led his team to qualification for the 2026 World Cup, where they finished above three-time African champions Nigeria, as well as Benin, Lesotho, Rwanda and Zimbabwe. This signals the emergence of a team growing increasingly confident in its ability.
Perhaps the most impressive part of Bafana Bafana’s progress over the past few years is that the core of their squad is built around locally-based players, particularly from Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns, two sides that reached the final four of the CAF Champions League last season.
While the overall lack of overseas players makes South Africa an underdog on paper and with the best online betting sites, it is also one of their greatest strengths. The core of the team know each other like the back of their hand, given that they play together or against each other weekly in the Betway Premiership.
That familiarity allows Broos to seamlessly tweak the team’s setup, which we have seen the Belgian do in the past, alternating between a flexible 4-2-3-1 formation or reverting to a more solid defensive 4-4-2 unit, utilising the pace of Oswin Appollis and Lyle Foster on the counter.
With Morocco, Egypt, Algeria and Senegal currently priced as the favourites for the title this year, the weight of expectation is largely lifted off Bafana Bafana, meaning they can go out and produce the ‘Kasi Flava’ that has served them so well over the past few years.
Bafana Bafana’s transformation under Hugo Broos’ leadership
Between the mid-2000s and 2010s, South Africa was considered one of the laughing stocks of Africa. Despite having the biggest league in the continent, the national team struggled to compete, failing to get beyond the group stage of the AFCON in 2004, 2006 and 2008, while failing to qualify for the 2010 and 2012 editions.
After another massive disappointment in 2021 under Molefi Mtseki, the South African Football Association (SAFA) made a massive decision to bring in Hugo Broos, who famously led Cameroon to the AFCON title in 2017.
Since arriving in Mzansi, the Belgian has transformed Bafana Bafana into a disciplined, united, and successful team once again. During his 50-match stint in charge, Broos has led the nation to 24 wins, 19 draws and just six losses - they have scored 75 goals and conceded just 37 in this period.
However, the 73-year-old’s influence has gone far beyond just results. Under his guidance, Bafana Bafana have rediscovered their true football identity and have a renewed self-belief, one that has fueled fans across the nation with the hope that a new era for South African football is here!
South Africa kick off their journey at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations on Monday, December 22, against Angola in Marrakech, followed by the blockbuster against Egypt on December 26 in Agadir, before returning to Marrakech for their final group-stage match against Zimbabwe on December 29.
