The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced the list of Match Officials set to officiate the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025. The tournament will take place from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026. A total of 73 highly experienced officials, comprising 28 referees, 31 assistant referees, and 14 VAR officials, have been appointed for this edition of Africa’s biggest football competition. “The carefully selected officials represent all regions of the continent and include some of Africa’s…

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos will on Monday, 1 December, announce Bafana Bafana’s final squad heading to the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. Earlier this week, the Belgian named a 54-man provisional team. Each participating team can submit a list of up to 27 players, but the Confederation of African football (CAF) will only cover travel and accommodation costs for 23 players. This means the countries that take more than 23 players will be liable for the costs of…

Springbok scrumhalf Cobus Reinach will earn his 50th Test cap when he takes to the field against Wales at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday in a settled team named by national coach Rassie Erasmus. The starting XV for the final match of the Castle Lager Outgoing Tour – which kicks off at 17h10 (SA time) and will be broadcast live on SuperSport – features nine changes from the team that defeated Ireland 24-13 in Dublin last week. Several…

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has launched the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 Diaspora Tour this week. “This is more than a tour; it is showcasing the spirit of African football. Making triumphant stops in London at Below the Lights, Piccadilly Circus on 28 November and Paris at YOYO in the Palais de Tokyo on 4 December, this tour forges an unbreakable bridge between the continent that creates legends and the diaspora that champions them,” announced CAF.…

Major Soccer League (MLS) club Philadelphia Union have exercised their option to keep South African defender, Olwethu Makhanya. The decision comes as no surprise given the 21-year-old’s great season in the United States of America (USA). “Philadelphia Union announced today that the club has exercised the contract option for defender Olwethu Makhanya, securing him through the 2026 and 2027 MLS seasons,” confirmed Union. “Olwethu had a standout year in his first full MLS season. Proving himself to be an important…

The world’s best Rugby team Springboks has dominated the 2025 World Rugby Men’s 15s Dream Team. World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year Malcolm Marx, fellow nominees Pieter-Steph du Toit and Ox Nche, as well as Thomas du Toit, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Cheslin Kolbe were named in the Dream Team on Tuesday. All six players delivered stand-out performances on the international stage this season, in which the Springboks have won 11 out of their 13 Tests to date, with…

World football governing body FIFA has revealed the pots ahead of the group stage draw for the World Cup next year. South Africa’s senior national team, Bafana Bafana, has been placed in Pot 3. On Friday, 5 December, participating teams will find out which pathway they must follow in their quest to lift the trophy when the draw is conducted in Washington DC, United States of America (USA). The Final Draw procedures stipulate that the hosts Canada, Mexico and the…

Botswana has announced the final squad for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) starting next month in Morocco. The Zebras head coach Morena Ramoreboli revealed his team in the capital, Gaborone, on Tuesday. He named a 36-man squad which was seen as final. However, Ramoreboli will have to cut it down to 23 by the deadline of 11 December. Botswana will be featuring in only their second AFCON following their maiden appearance in 2012. They are in a tough Group…

Bafana Bafana’s preliminary squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has been announced. Bafana coach Hugo Broos made the announcement on Monday afternoon, with the final 23-man squad expected to be confirmed next week. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has set a deadline of 11 December for all final squad submissions ahead of the tournament to be hosted by Morocco from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026. Broos’ men were drawn in Group B, alongside Angola…

Despite being in the form of his life, attacking midfielder Thembinkosi Lorch has been omitted from Bafana Bafana’s preliminary squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations [AFCON]. African Times can reveal the 32-year-old has failed to make the cut for the tournament starting next month in Morocco, where he is playing club football for Wydad Casablanca. Bafana Bafana’s preliminary squad will be announced on Monday afternoon. Lorch was again one of the players to watch on the weekend when…