South Africa's national team, Bafana Bafana, has commenced their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign against Angola in Marrakech on Monday, December 22, 2025. This Group B opener marks a crucial start for both teams, who are vying for a strong position in a group that also includes Egypt and Zimbabwe.

Bafana Bafana are aiming to build upon their promising performance in the last AFCON tournament, where they reached the semi-finals and secured third place by defeating DR Congo. Under the guidance of manager Hugo Broos, South Africa has also successfully qualified for the upcoming World Cup. Broos will also be marking his 50th match as the South Africa manager. South Africa secured their spot at AFCON 2025 by finishing at the top of their qualifying group, demonstrating consistent performances and tactical discipline. In their nine matches leading up to the tournament, including World Cup qualifiers and friendlies, they have recorded six wins and three draws.

However, their preparations were somewhat overshadowed by comments made by Broos regarding center-back Mbekezeli Mbokazi, after criticizing Mbokazi for being late to pre-tournament camp.

Angola, coached by Patrice Beaumelle, is aiming to build on their recent progress in continental competitions, including a strong showing at the previous AFCON. This tournament marks Angola's 10th appearance in the Africa Cup of Nations, with their best performance being a quarter-final finish in the 2023 tournament.

Historically, South Africa and Angola have a rich history in AFCON. This match marks the 5th time that they have faced off at the tournament. In their previous four encounters, South Africa has won twice, and two matches ended in a draw. The first match between these two nations in AFCON was in 1996, where South Africa won 1-0. Overall, the two teams have met 19 times, with South Africa winning 9, Angola 4 and 6 draws.

Both coaches have expressed their thoughts ahead of this crucial match. Hugo Broos acknowledged the difficulty of the game, but emphasized his team's readiness and determination to win. Patrice Beaumelle, on the other hand, anticipates a high-level contest and recognizes South Africa's confidence and impressive unbeaten streak of 26 matches.

The match is scheduled to kick off at 5pm GMT on Monday, December 22, 2025, at the Grand Stade de Marrakech in Morocco.