How Bafana Bafana shapes up for Afcon battle against Africa's finest

Factbox on Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers South Africa

Africa Cup of Nations record

Previous appearances in finals: (10) 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2019.

Best performance: Winners 1996

Drawn in Group E with Mali, Namibia and Tunisia

Coach: Hugo Broos

The 71-year-old Belgian will be the oldest coach at Afcon and also one of three to have won it previously having guided Cameroon to glory in 2017.

Broos was a Belgian international, playing at the World Cup in Mexico in 1986 where they finished fourth, and then spent time at Anderlecht before moving to their arch rivals Club Brugge.

He coached both clubs, winning the Belgian league with Brugge in 1992 and 1996 and with Anderlecht in 2004. He moved abroad in 2008 to coach in Greece and Turkey and later in Algeria.

Key player: Percy Tau. Age: 29. Forward

Already Tau is an African champion at club level with double Champions League success he achieved with Mamelodi Sundowns in 2016 and then with Al Ahly of Egypt last year.

Brighton & Hove Albion signed him in 2018 but loaned him out to Belgian clubs  Union Saint Gilloise, Club Brugge and Anderlecht for three years and he returned to the Premier League for six months.

But he did not get much game time under Graham Potter on his short return to Brighton & Hove Albion and was sold to Cairo giants Al Ahly in mid-2021 where he has become a firm favourite with the fans.

Fifa world ranking Dec 2023: 66

How they qualified: Second placed team in Group K, behind Morocco but ahead of Liberia.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Ricardo Goss (SuperSport United), Veli Mothwa (AmaZulu), Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns)

Defenders: Grant Kekana, Terrence Mashego, Aubrey Modiba, Khuliso Mudau, Mothobi Mvala (all Sundowns), Nyiko Mobbie (Sekhukhune United), Nkosinathi Sibisi (Orlando Pirates), Siyanda Xulu (SuperSport United)

Midfielders: Jayden Adams (Stellenbosch), Teboho Mokoena (Sundowns), Thabang Monare (Pirates), Sphephelo Sithole (Tondela), Themba Zwane (Sundowns)

Forwards: Oswin Appollis (Polokwane City), Zakhele Lepasa, Evidence Makgopa (both Pirates), Thapelo Maseko (Sundowns), Mihlali Mayambela (Aris Limassol), Thapelo Morena (Sundowns), Percy Tau (Al Ahly).