Bafana face Afcon royalty in Cameroon in Round of 16

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Bafana Bafana will face five-time Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) champions Cameroon in the Round of 16 at Agdal Medina Stadium in Rabat on Sunday.

Cameroon secured their place after a hard-fought 2-1 win over Mozambique, while Ivory Coast edged Gabon 3-2 to finalise the standings in Group F. This meant the Elephants topped the group, with Cameroon finishing second, setting up a clash with the 1996 Afcon winners.

Cameroon have a decorated Afcon history, lifting the trophy in 1984, 1988, 2000, 2002, and most recently in 2017.

The clash promsies to be a close encounter given Bafana Bafana’s revival under coach Hugo Broos. Cameroon are currently ranked 57th in the world and 10th in Africa, with South Africa close behind at 61st globally and 11th on the continent.


Bafana’s progression to the knockout stage came after finishing second in Group B, behind Egypt, showing resilience and composure in key moments. With momentum on their side, South Africa will hope to exploit the tight margins and take on the Cameroonian giants at an opportune moment.

“The boys have shown character and tactical maturity in this tournament,” Broos said. “Now it’s about executing on the day, staying disciplined, and being fearless against a historically strong team.”

Cameroon will also have a point to prove after dramatically losing to DR Congo in mid-November in a crucial World Cup qualifier which means they miss out on the 2026 World Cup taking place in Mexico, Canada and the United States. South Africa have already booked their ticket to the showpiece event.

Photo: Gallo Images/Zamani Makautsi

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Lindiz Vanzilla