From Amajita to Bafana Bafana: Tylon Smith kisses his Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations gold medal in Egypt in May 2025. He will now feature at the senior tournament in December and January in Morocco.

• Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has named his 25-man squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations that will be held in Morocco.
• Only nine players from last year’s bronze-winning team return, with key omissions including Themba Zwane, Thapelo Morena and Percy Tau.
• New faces include defender Tylon Smith and forward Shandre Campbell, while Elias Mokwana and Relebohile Mofokeng also make the squad.
• For more Bafana Bafana news, visit our dedicated section.

Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos officially named his 25-man squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations on Monday.

The 73-year-old, who has been at the helm of the South African men’s senior national team since May 2021, cut his preliminary squad 54 players to assemble a group that has ambitions of winning gold at the tournament in Morocco, which runs from 21 December until 18 January.

The Belgian-born mentor and his troops, who finished third at last year’s edition in Ivory Coast, are in Group B alongside Angola (22 December), Egypt (26 December) and Zimbabwe (29 December).

Progression to the knockout rounds is expected for Broos.

Broos has retained just nine players from last year’s Africa Cup of Nations squad, including captain Ronwen Williams, Ricardo Goss, Nkosinathi Sibisi, Aubrey Modiba, Khuliso Mudau, Teboho Mokoena, Sphephelo Sithole and Evidence Makgopa.

In a series of bold decisions, Broos omitted influential figures such as Themba Zwane, who recently returned from injury, as well as Thapelo Morena and Percy Tau.

Striker Iqraam Rayners, Mduduzi Shabalala and Thabo Moloisane are on the standby list, a selection decision that could spark some debate given their recent contributions.

The squad sees the inclusion of exciting young talent.

Defender Tylon Smith, who won the Under-20 Afcon and recently signed for Queens Park Rangers in the United Kingdom, has earned his first senior call-up without having yet featured for Bafana Bafana.

Forward Shandre Campbell, 20, who plays for Club Brugge in Belgium, also makes the list after previously appearing in preliminary squads but never in a competitive match for the national team.

There is good news for Elias Mokwana and Relebohile Mofokeng, who have impressed with Al Azem and Orlando Pirates respectively, earning themselves a spot despite a quieter latter half of the year in national colours.

The squad will convene in Johannesburg on Monday, 8 December.