Bafana Bafana to play against Ghana in final pre-AFCON friendly next week

Bafana Bafana, the national team of South Africa men team will get ready for the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with a friendly game against Ghana next week. Both sides prepare for a very different football journeys later this month in Morocco.

Hugo Broos, who is the South Africa coach and his squad will take on Black Stars at home on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, happening at a place in Gauteng. The location at Gauteng hasn’t been confirmed by the South African Football Association (SAFA). 

No matter the stadium they choose, the officials expect a good number of fans because the Bafana side is encourage by their qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The team will leave for Morocco the following day to continue preparations for the AFCON. It will take place from December 21 to January 18. This kind of  tournament will take place at nine different locations, with defending champions Côte d’Ivoire seeking to keep their title.

The Broos’ men, bronze medallists during last year’s event  in Cote d’Ivoire, have been placed in Group B. They will open their campaign against Angola in Marrakesh on December 21 and this will be after an important match against Egypt in Agadir on December 26. Their final group match will be against Zimbabwe in Marrakesh on December 29.

The South African Football Association (SAFA) has confirmed the match with Ghana in a statement on Monday.  The  Cl to the big continental competition.

The statement emphasized that “Bafana Bafana will face Ghana next week in their final match in South Africa ahead of their departure to this month’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.”

For Ghana, the fixture is a chance for to test their squad regardless missing out on AFCON qualification for the first time since 2004. The Black Stars, who will go back to the global stage next summer at the FIFA World Cup, are now using the match to evaluate how ready and strong the team is before a busy 2026 calendar.

With both teams trying to build up speed, the friendly is expected to offer competitive intensity and draw a lot of interest from the fans all over the continent.

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