Bafana Bafana’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations campaign has arrived at a
moment steeped in history, with South Africa set to meet Cameroon in a
last-16 showdown in Rabat this Sunday.
No opponent is more symbolic in the modern story of South African football.
Cameroon was the first nation Bafana Bana faced after the country’s
international readmission in 1992—a match that launched a new chapter. Now,
more than thirty years later, they meet again with a continental
quarter-final at stake.
The historical record offers South Africa a psychological edge. In nine
previous meetings, Bafana have lost only once—a friendly in Cape Town 33
years ago. They remain unbeaten against the Indomitable Lions in competitive
football, with three wins and five draws defining a rivalry of resilience.
Adding a compelling layer to the clash is the presence of Hugo Broos. The
Belgian manager knows Cameroon intimately, having led them through the 2016
AFCON qualifiers—facing South Africa twice—before steering them to
continental glory in 2017. On Sunday, he will stand across the touchline
from the side he once guided to the summit of African football, aiming to
mastermind another historic step for Bafana Bafana.
