Bafana qualify for Afcon as Congo crash to South Sudan

Bafana Bafana have qualified for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals without kicking a ball in the last two rounds of matches after South Sudan pulled off a shock 3-2 victory at home against Republic of Congo on Thursday.

This makes Hugo Broos the first Bafana coach to reach back-to-back Nations Cup finals.

South Sudan’s win means Congo can only get to seven points in Group K if they beat Uganda in their last match at home on Tuesday, one point short of matching Bafana’s present eight.

SA can now go into their last two matches — against Uganda at Mandela National Stadium in Kampala on Friday (3pm SA time) and on Tuesday against South Sudan at Cape Town Stadium (6pm) — already qualified.

It is the second time Bafana have back-to-back appearances at the Afcon after they last did so in 2013 and 2015.

The South Africans won a surprise bronze medal under Broos in the last Afcon played in Ivory Coast in January and February. That tournament was delayed from its original mid-2023 schedule to early 2024 over heat concerns in the West African summer. 

Uganda are on top of Group K with 10 points and their place in next year’s Afcon in Morocco was also confirmed by the Congo’s shock defeat on Thursday.

The top two teams progress to the finals.

Bafana arrived in Kampala on Thursday where they continue their preparations for what are now dead rubbers against Uganda and South Sudan.