The Bafana Bafana squad to face Panama in two international friendlies on home soil has been announced. National team coach Hugo Broos revealed the preliminary team on Monday, with an initial 38-man squad which will be reduced before these matches. The first match will be played at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Friday, 27 March, before facing the Central American country in the second game in Cape Town on Tuesday, 31 March. The two friendlies are in preparation for the…

Former Bafana Bafana striker Benni McCarthy has thrown his weight behind Pitso Mosimane to return as head coach of South Africa’s senior team, Bafana Bafana. Current Bafana Bafana mentor, Hugo Broos, has confirmed he would retire after this year’s FIFA World Cup, opening the door for a new coach to step in. Mosimane said recently that he is keen to take over from Broos, and McCarthy reckons he is the right man for the job. “Coach Pitso has my vote…

Bafana Bafana mentor Hugo Broos has reiterated his views on how Bafana Bafana could be in a position to compete against the best teams in Africa, let alone the world. The Belgian has maintained his stance that Bafana Bafana can benefit from the country exporting players, especially to top European leagues, such as the English Premier League, Spanish La Liga, Germany’s Bundesliga, Italian Serie A, and France’s Ligue 1. This follows Bafana Bafana’s exit from the 2025 Africa Cup of…

South Africa’s sports minister, Gayton Mckenzie, has expressed his dismay at recent comments by Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos about the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco. Broos raised eyebrows when he said he was not feeling the “vibe” in the North African state, as compared to previous tournaments. “I don’t feel the same vibe compared to what I felt in Gabon or the Ivory Coast,” said Broos. McKenzie has fired back at Broos, accusing the latter of disrespecting…

Previously, many African teams were guided by foreign coaches in major tournaments such as the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). In recent years, however, African mentors have been given the opportunity to coach their countries. As a result, the past three editions of the AFCON have been won by African coaches: Djamel Belmadi with Algeria in 2019, Aliou Cisse, who was in charge when Senegal won it in 2021, and Emerse Faé, who led Ivory Coast to their triumph on home soil…

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…

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…

African Times has picked 10 players that have done enough to convince Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos to include them in his squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco. Bafana Bafana’s opening match of the tournament will be against Angola on 22 December in Marrakech, followed by a clash against Egypt on 26 December in Agadir, before they conclude their group stage assignment when they challenge neighbours Zimbabwe, also in Marrakech. “It’s not difficult (to select the 23-man…

Bafana Bafana mentor Hugo Broos is not at all bothered by keyboard warriors as he continues to guide South Africa’s senior football national team. The 73-year-old has been at the helm since 2021, and not only has Bafana Bafana improved on the FIFA rankings (position 75 to 59), but the team finished third in the last edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), as well as qualifying for the FIFA 2026 World Cup. Despite this, Broos has had his…

At 32 years old, Thembinkosi Lorch’s hopes of a return to the Bafana Bafana fold have been dashed. The Wydad Casablanca forward has been performing admirably, leading to calls for his return to the national team setup. He has nine Bafana Bafana caps, with his last appearance coming about two years ago. This season, he has three goals and three assists in seven matches in the CAF Confederation Cup and Botola Pro League. However, this has done nothing to convince…