WeeklySA_AdminGROUP K: Coach Hugo Broos’ charges will face Uganda, Congo and South Sudan in the race to qualify for the 35th edition of the biennial continental tournament
By Sports Reporter
Africa Cup of Nations bronze medalists Bafana Bafana now know the identity of the teams they will face during the qualifiers for the 2025 edition of the continental tournament after the draw was held in Johannesburg on Thursday afternoon.
Coach Hugo Broos’ charges were drawn in Group K and they will face Uganda, Congo and South Sudan in the race to qualify for the 35th edition of the biennial continental tournament. South African Football Association (SAFA) President Dr Danny Jordaan, Vice Presidents Anastasia Tsichlas and Linda Zwane, and CEO Lydia Monyepao attended the event in Randburg on Thursday.
“This draw is different from previous draws. You find that the teams are spread, and more groups are created and therefore more teams will participate and more teams will have the opportunity,” the SAFA President said.
“I think there are going to be quite some interesting results. We must not just look at the teams, there are going to be quite some interesting results. For ourselves, I think we must just focus and win the games at home and make sure that we go back. It’s important that we build consistency of performance in Bafana Bafana. It is very important. We look forward to this campaign and we hope that Bafana Bafana will qualify.”
The two top finishers will qualify for the tournament to be hosted in Morocco from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026.
Meanwhile, coach Helman Mkhalele’s youthful South African men’s national team beat Eswatini at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium but could not progress to the semifinals of the COSAFA Cup.
The team led by Bafana Bafana assistant coach Helman Mkhalele won 1-0 courtesy of an early goal from Thabang Sibanyoni in the third minute, but missed out on a spot in the knockout round after finishing second with five points behind leaders Mozambique in Group A. The tournament rules state that the three group winners and the best-placed second team advance to the semifinals.
The main objective of participating in the regional event is to develop a larger pool of players and further SAFA’s long-term vision, and Mkhalele said he was proud of his players. He added that they played a good game against Eswatini, even though they did not make it to the knockout stage.
“I am proud of the effort, the character and the humility of these boys. I’m really proud of them,” he said after the match.
The Bafana Bafana assistant coach said his youthful side learnt some important lessons in the matches they played against Mozambique, Botswana and Eswatini.
“I would say as the technical staff, I am quite happy with some of the boys that I have seen here, that I believe raised their hands in the three games in terms of getting closer to the senior Bafana Bafana team that plays in the World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers (under head coach Hugo Broos). They raised their hands, and I am quite happy because this tournament will go a long way in us knowing that there are players we identified here who can step in.”
