Bafana drawn against Tunisia, Mali and Namibia in 2023 Afcon

Bafana Bafana were drawn against Tunisia, Mali and neighbours Namibia in Group E in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals draw that was conducted at a glittering function in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on Thursday night.

Former and current stars such as Ivory Coast legend Didier Drogba, Nigeria's Mikel Obi, Senegalese striker Sadio Mane and Morocco's Ashraf Hakimi formed part of those who conducted the draw.

Bafana last played in the Afcon in 2019 where they were knocked out by Nigeria in the last 8.

In that tournament Namibia, who will be facing SA for the third time in an Afcon tournament, and Morocco and Ivory Coast were drawn against Bafana

Hugo Broos, the 71-year-old Bafana coach from Belgium, comes with the experience of winning the cup with Cameroon in 2017. 

Bafana will play two 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Benin and Rwanda in November, competitive games they can use as preparation for Afcon.

But before those qualifiers Bafana will host Eswatini at the FNB Stadium on Friday and visit Ivory Coast on Tuesday, the last two friendlies Broos's team will play this year.

The 34th edition of Afcon will start on January 13 and finish on February 11 with 24 teams participating.

Afcon Final Draw 

Group A: Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau  

Group B: Egypt, Ghana, Cape Verde, Mozambique  

Group C: Senegal, Cameroon, Guinea, Gambia  

Group D: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Angola  

Group E: Tunisia, Mali, South Africa, Namibia  

Group F: Morocco, DR Congo, Zambia, Tanzania