Bafana Bafana will now shift their focus towards qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after successfully qualifying for the AFCON.
South Africa, who last participated in the tournament in 2010 as hosts, aims to secure one of the nine guaranteed spots for African teams in the upcoming World Cup to be held in Mexico, Canada, and the United States.
For CAF qualification, FIFA has announced a format comprising nine groups with six teams each.
The teams will compete in a home and away format, with the group winners earning direct qualification for the World Cup.
Additionally, the four best-ranked group runners-up will enter a play-off, where the winner will represent Africa in an inter-confederation play-off. This play-off involves teams from each confederation, except UEFA.
The victor of the inter-confederation play-off will secure a coveted spot in the World Cup.
Bafana could face tough draw
As noted by Kick Off, Bafana are ranked outside the top nine countries on the continent, and therefore will be grouped alongside one of the top nine for qualification.
They could be grouped with either Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria, Cameroon, Mali or Cote d’Ivoire.
As part of the second tier of countries, they will avoid Burkina Faso, Ghana, Caper Verde, Guinea, Zambia, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
Jordaan’s ultimatum to Broos
Sports Brief previously reported how Hugo Broos was tasked with taking Bafana Bafana to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in the Ivory Coast.
South African Football Association president Danny Jordaan said the first task was AFCON and then the World Cup qualifiers.
With just Morocco and Liberia in their group, Jordaan believed there was no excuse for the side not to qualify.