Bafana Bafana: Hugo Broos Confirms Major Change Ahead of AFCON

Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has confirmed he has no plans to schedule more friendly matches before the team travels for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.

South Africa is set to face Angola, Egypt, and Zambia in Group B. Hugo Broos is expected to announce his final 23-man squad in early December before the team gathers for a pre-tournament camp in Tshwane.

When questioned about the possibility of adding more warm-up games after a recent 3-1 victory over Zambia in Gqeberha, the coach firmly dismissed the suggestion.

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"No, we will play one game [against Zambia]. I don't like to play two or three games before we go," Broos stated as quoted by SABC Sport.

"We have played enough against African teams, so we don't need to face another one as if we are unfamiliar with African football."

The Belgian coach emphasised the team's extensive experience against continental opposition over the past few years, making further friendlies unnecessary for their AFCON preparations.

"Over the last four years, we've played almost exclusively against African teams," he explained. "It will be a bit different next year when we prepare for the World Cup; that is something else, and the preparations will be different as well."

Hugo Broos stressed that the current focus is on ensuring the team is in peak condition for the tournament's start, aiming to avoid a repeat of their previous AFCON campaign.

"Now we just try to have a good preparation and make sure the team is really at 100 per cent when they start, and that we don't begin like we did at the last AFCON with a defeat," he said.

The coach has already set his sights on the crucial opening match against Angola in Marrakesh, highlighting the importance of a strong start.

"I want to win that first game because it gives you a significant advantage in a tournament, especially in the group phase," Broos added.

"We didn't do that [in 2024], which meant we had to win the second game, and there was still a question mark for the third. We will try to avoid that by winning our first game against Angola."

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations is scheduled for December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, across six cities and nine stadiums in Morocco.