South Africa’s Bafana Bafana have been nominated for the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Men’s National Team of the Year award.
CAF announced the nomination on Tuesday night, recognising a period in which South Africa’s senior men’s side have re-established themselves among Africa’s leading international teams.
Morocco, Senegal and the Democratic Republic of Congo are also shortlisted in the category.
The recognition follows Hugo Broos’ successful spell in charge, during which South Africa secured direct qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. That ended a 24-year wait for the national team to reach the tournament.
Bafana Bafana also finished top of Group C, ahead of continental heavyweights Nigeria, delivering another significant result during their qualifying campaign.
Their progress continued at the World Cup, where South Africa became the first Bafana Bafana side to reach the knockout stages. That achievement strengthened the team’s reputation and helped restore pride among supporters at home.
Broos was central to the revival, developing a competitive squad that produced consistent results on the international stage.
Unlike a number of African national teams that depend heavily on players based in Europe, South Africa have built much of their squad around footballers from the Premier Soccer League. Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates have been particularly important sources of players for the national side.
The 2026 CAF Awards ceremony will take place in Lagos, Nigeria, on Monday, 7 December.
Bafana Bafana have since made a strong start under new coach Pitso Mosimane. Their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign opened with consecutive victories, beginning with a 2-1 win over Guinea before a 5-0 victory against Eritrea.
South Africa’s next assignment is a home-and-away double-header against Kenya. The two matches are scheduled for 13 and 17 November.
