Holiday vibes in Soweto as fans gather for Bafana Bafana’s AFCON farewell match

Bafana Bafana will step onto the pitch one last time before their highly anticipated Africa Cup of Nations campaign begins, facing a weakened Ghana side on Tuesday at Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto.

This official friendly, played when the country will be celebrating the Day of Reconciliation, serves as both a farewell occasion for local supporters and a valuable opportunity for the South African squad to fine-tune their approach ahead of the tournament in Morocco, which kicks off on Sunday.

Ghana’s national team will field a squad largely composed of second-string players. Having failed to qualify for the continental showpiece, the West Africans will be without their regular stars, with coach Kassim Mingle stepping in for usual tactician Otto Addo.

This unusual scenario may make the match feel like a training exercise for Bafana Bafana. However, it still presents a useful opportunity for the South African players to adapt and rehearse their game plans.

Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has elected to finalise his selection based on the players who took part in the week-long training camp. Notably absent from the matchday squad will be three overseas-based players — Lyle Foster (Burnley), Yaya Sithole (Tondela) and Siyabonga Ngezana (Steaua Bucharest) — all of whom arrived in the country on Monday.

Despite this, Broos remains optimistic as he prepares for the challenges AFCON will undoubtedly bring. He has indicated that he is confident in his preferred starting XI, while also keen to assess fringe players who could feature from the bench during the tournament.

Among those to watch are Elias Mokwana of Al Hazem, a surprise inclusion in the AFCON squad, and Samukelo Kabini from Norway-based Molde FK, both of whom could be handed meaningful minutes in this warm-up fixture.

Also in the spotlight are players such as Mohau Nkota and Aubrey Modiba, as Broos looks to map out the squad’s future amid the intensity of the upcoming competition.

This friendly is about more than preparation alone. It offers fans a chance to come together, show their support and strengthen the bond between players and supporters ahead of the continental challenge.

The atmosphere at Dobsonville Stadium is expected to be vibrant and relaxed, yet charged with anticipation for what lies ahead in Morocco. Bafana aim to make the most of this final outing before departing on Wednesday for AFCON, where hopes are high for a strong showing on the continental stage.