Bafana Bafana will compete with a locally-based squad in the second stage qualifiers for CHAN, set to take place in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda from 2 to 30 August. This follows Tunisia and Libya’s withdrawal from the final tournament, prompting CAF to move the event from February to August to accommodate additional qualifiers involving Algeria, Comoros, Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, and South Africa.  

Bafana, who will be led by Assistant Coach Helman Mkhalele, must overcome Egypt in a two-legged tie in the initial round. The winner will then face either Malawi or Comoros in the second round to determine who qualifies for the tournament.  

Meanwhile, South Africa’s U17 men’s team, Amajimbos, have been handed a lifeline after CAF increased the number of participating teams for the U17 AFCON from 12 to 16. This allowed them to qualify after finishing third at last year’s COSAFA U17 Championships on home soil.  

Amajimbos have been drawn in Group B, where they will face Burkina Faso, a yet-to-be-determined UNIFFAC qualifier, and Egypt at the tournament in Morocco, scheduled from 30 March to 19 April. The top 10-ranked teams at the competition will qualify for the expanded FIFA U17 World Cup, which will feature 48 teams in Qatar from 5 to 27 November.


--ChannelAfrica--