Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos says the national team will now turn its full attention to preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), set to take place in Morocco from 21 December to 18 January 2026.
This follows Bafana’s convincing 3–1 victory over Zambia in a friendly match at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Saturday.
Broos made it clear that he does not intend to schedule additional friendlies, arguing that further games could jeopardise the squad’s readiness for the tournament.
“I don’t like to play two or three games before we go,” Broos said. “We’ve played enough games against African teams. We know African football — we played the last four years nearly only against African teams.”
South Africa has been drawn into Group B alongside Angola, Zimbabwe and Egypt. The team will open its AFCON campaign against Angola on 22 December, followed by Egypt on 25 December, and will wrap up the group stage against Zimbabwe on 29 December.
Broos said the goal is to ensure that the squad is at “100%” heading into the tournament, noting that early mistakes could result in an immediate exit.
He acknowledged that Bafana’s opponents will pose a serious challenge but insists the team remains focused on securing wins and advancing deep into the competition.
