Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has outlined his decision to travel to the 2025 AFCON tournament in Morocco with 25 players, leaving behind the three reserve players. The Belgian named his final squad for the biennial continental competition, which runs from December 21 to January 18, 2026. Bafana are in Group B, where they will take on seven-time champions Egypt, Zimbabwe and Angola.
They open their campaign against the Palancas Negras on December 22, aiming to win the trophy they last clinched in 1996. Expectations are high on South Africa after they finished third at the last edition in the Ivory Coast.
Broos’ 25-man squad to Morocco has some familiar faces and a few surprises, especially those dropped. The likes of vice-captain Themba Zwane, Iqraam Rayners, Thapelo Morena, in-form Thembinkosi Lorch, Ime Okon and Gift Links were overlooked.
However, Rayners, Mduduzi Shabalala and Thabo Moloisane are the three players placed on standby. Broos explains why he chose not to take the reserve players to AFCON.
BROOS CHALLENGES BAFANA AFCON PLAYERS ON STANDBY
“We will ask them to stay in shape, to train and not as usual. To keep in good condition, because at any moment something can happen and we have to make a plan,” said Broos when he unveiled his final squad.
“That’s why I selected three players to be on standby. I don’t want to take them with me because then you would have 28 players in training sessions, and it’s not easy to work like that.
“That’s why I will ask them to remain on standby. Let’s hope we don’t need them because that would mean we have a problem with an injury. But on the other hand, I hope for them that there will still be a possibility to come to Morocco.”
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