Bafana Bafana AFCON Title Chances & Odds Ahead of Morocco 2025 Campaign
- South Africa begins its Africa Cup of Nations 2025 journey in a challenging Group B, facing Angola, Zimbabwe, and Egypt in matches that could define their tournament
- Bafana Bafana head into Morocco with boosted confidence after recent international achievements, including direct qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
- Briefly News spoke to football journalist Brighton Bafana, who shared an in-depth analysis of the team’s strengths, weaknesses, and realistic chances of lifting the AFCON trophy
The Africa Cup of Nations gets underway this coming weekend, with Bafana Bafana set to start their campaign on Monday, 22 December 2025, against the Palancas Negras of Angola in a Group B fixture. The other two nations in the group are South Africa’s neighbours Zimbabwe, the Warriors, and the highly fancied Pharaohs of Egypt.
Source: Getty Images
South Africa finished third in the previous tournament held in the Ivory Coast and also recorded a shock win over the then-hosts, Morocco. They enter this tournament with boosted morale, having directly qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The last time they participated automatically was in 2010 as hosts.
Speaking to Briefly News, football journalist Brighton Bafana shared his insights on Bafana Bafana’s title hopes, bookmaker odds, and what to expect from Hugo Broos’ squad in Morocco.
“This AFCON feels different. After World Cup qualification and a semi-final run two years ago, expectations have shifted. The nation wants more than just a good group stage,” Brighton told Briefly News.
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AFCON title chances and bookmakers odds
Bookmakers across Africa have already priced up the title market ahead of kick-off, and the numbers tell a clear story. According to recent odds, South Africa sit outside the top tier of favourites.
Morocco and Egypt are among the favourites to lift the trophy. By contrast, Bafana Bafana’s odds suggest roughly a 2.11 percent chance of winning, reflecting their status as long shots compared to the hosts and other heavyweights.
Brighton explained,
“Bookmakers see South Africa as outsiders, but not without reason. We finished third in the last AFCON and have continued our upward trajectory. That said, teams like Morocco, Egypt and Senegal still hold the cards on paper.”
Simulation models also predict a quarter-final exit, forecasting Bafana to finish second in the group before bowing out earlier than some fans might hope.
Yet Brighton emphasised balance in the analysis, saying,
“Odds don’t win matches. They just reflect probability. South Africans must temper their expectations, but if we play with the discipline and hunger we have shown recently, we can make noise.”
Source: Getty Images
Coach Hugo Broos’ mindset and Group dynamics
Head coach Hugo Broos has been frank in assessing both his team and the tournament’s competitiveness. Ahead of the opening match, the Belgian stressed that the landscape of African football has changed.
“There are no weak teams anymore,” he said, emphasising that every opponent poses a danger.
Broos also highlighted Bafana’s preparation as a key advantage, noting,
“We are already quite far in our preparation. We have had a full week of training, which can be vital come Monday.”
He further underlined the importance of starting the tournament strongly.
“It is vital that we don’t lose that first game. We know from experience that an early slip can make the path much tougher later on,” he said.
Brighton echoed that sentiment, adding,
“This group Angola, Egypt and Zimbabwe is balanced. Egypt, with the calibre of players they have, are real threats. But South Africa’s growth under Broos has made them no pushovers.”
Former players and pundits have also expressed confidence in the squad. Ex-international Tsepo Masilela recently told local media he believes Bafana have “what it takes to go deep” given the culture Broos has built.
Bafana Bafana begin their AFCON journey on Monday against Angola, aware that the odds are stacked against them but are underpinned by belief and hard work. As Brighton Bafana concluded,
“When you look at South African football today from domestic leagues to national team momentum this side is ready to compete. Whether that translates into lifting the trophy is another matter, but they are certainly not here to make up numbers.”
Mo Salah’s unsettled Liverpool future could challenge Bafana
Briefly News previously reported that Bafana Bafana will encounter a challenging Africa Cup of Nations campaign in Morocco.
Football analyst Mandla Biyela believes Mohamed Salah’s uncertain future at Liverpool could become an unexpected headache for South Africa.
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Source: Briefly News
