Bafana Bafana’s third-place finish at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations now looks more like a fluke, especially when measured against their disappointing exit at the 2025/26 edition.
Hugo Broos’ men poured their hearts into the previous tournament and were rewarded with a bronze medal, which was South Africa’s first AFCON semi-final appearance in 24 years. It felt like a turning point, a sign that Bafana were finally back among Africa’s elite.
Fast forward to 2025/26, and reality bites. A round-of-16 exit at the hands of Cameroon has reopened uncomfortable questions.
Have Bafana regressed? Are they back to default settings? Or was 2023 simply an outlier rather than the start of a new era?
Ironically, the truth is that Bafana Bafana have actually improved since the last AFCON. That semi-final run gave the team belief and stability, reflected in a dominant qualification campaign in which they reached the 2025 AFCON without losing a single match.
Qualification for the FIFA World Cup later in the year further cemented their growing reputation on the continent.
Bafana’s good 2023 AFCON showing created pressure
At the 2025 AFCON, expectations were higher than they had been in decades. Against Angola and Zimbabwe, Bafana were unconvincing, escaping with wins largely because the opposition lacked quality.
Sloppy mistakes, wasted chances and visible nerves plagued them throughout the group stage.
Their round-of-16 clash against the Indomitable Lions was arguably Bafana’s best performance of the tournament. Yet, as has so often been the case, poor finishing in the first half proved costly.
At elite level, dominance without goals counts for nothing. Bafana learnt the hard way and are now watching the AFCON from the comfort of their homes.
So why did 2023 feel different?
Broos’ side entered that tournament with little expectation. A 2-0 opening loss to Mali dulled fan interest, allowing the team to play without the suffocating weight of belief.
A 4-0 win over Namibia and a goalless draw against a toothless Tunisia quietly rebuilt momentum.
Then came Morocco after reaching the 2022 World Cup semis and were overwhelming favourites.
Most expected humiliation. Instead, Bafana produced one of their finest performances in years, upsetting the Atlas Lions 2-0. Suddenly, the nation believed again.
That belief carried them through the knockout stages. Cape Verde pushed Bafana to penalties in the quarterfinals, where Ronwen Williams delivered a historic performance, saving every spot kick to send South Africa into their first AFCON semi-final in two decades.
A tense semi-final against Nigeria ended in another penalty shootout defeat, before Bafana claimed bronze against DR Congo.
Bafana’s magical 2023 AFCON run deserves honest scrutiny
In seven matches at the 2023 AFCON, Bafana failed to score in four. They did not win a single game in which they conceded first.
Their only multi-goal display came against a weak Namibian side. The success was built on organisation, discipline and moments of inspiration, not sustained attacking quality.
Context also matters in football and any other sport. Traditional powerhouses like Morocco, Senegal, Cameroon and Algeria did not fully assert themselves in 2023, many exiting earlier than expected.
Eventual champions Ivory Coast survived the group stages by the narrowest of margins, sacked their coach mid-tournament, and played the knockouts with nothing to lose.
Ivory Coast had nothing to lose at home
Just as Zambia did in 2012, Bafana had an opportunity when Africa’s giants were asleep and they nearly seized it.
It was always going to be a different tournament in 2025 given the World Cup was just six months away. Those nine qualified African teams were always going to use the AFCON as a way of earning their ticket to the USA/Mexico and Canada.
Bafana were found wanting in AFCON 2025
With a World Cup looming, elite African nations arrived sharper, deeper and more ruthless. Losses to Cameroon and Egypt reinforced a sobering truth: Bafana Bafana still trail the continent’s top five sides in terms of depth, composure and match-winning quality.
When Africa’s best truly show up, South Africa still struggles to keep pace.
The challenge now is whether Bafana can capitalise when the cycle turns again.
The next four-year cycle begins after the World Cup. Success will depend on more than senior-team stability.
Junior national teams must continue qualifying for major tournaments, competing consistently and learning how to win under pressure. Only then can Bafana turn fleeting moments of success into lasting progress.
AFCON disaster should push Bafana to improve and perhaps get past the group stages in the World Cup.