Mbekezeli Mbokazi of South Africa celebrates their victory during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations match between Zimbabwe and South Africa at Marrakech Stadium in Morocco on 29 December 2025 ©Alche Greeff/BackpagePix
Saturday Jan 03, 2026. 13:00
South Africa and Cameroon will meet for the first time in the 21st century at the Agdal Medina Stadium in Rabat on Sunday, as they both look to advance at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Kick-off is at 9pm CAT.
South Africa finished second in group B with six points, one behind winners Egypt.
Bafana Bafana began its campaign with a 2-1 win over Angola before falling to the Pharaohs 1-0 and then ending their campaign in a nervy 3-2 win over neighbours Zimbabwe.
This is the third time and first time since 2000 that Bafana have won two group games at an AFCON finals and a victory over Cameroon in open play would secure successive AFCON wins for the first time since the 2000 edition.
South Africa will be competing in the round of 16 for the third time and are yet to lose, let alone concede, at this stage of the tournament.
A victory would see Bafana Bafana advance to the quarterfinals for the seventh time in tournament history.
Hugo Broos’ men have consistently performed better in the second half of games at this edition of the tournament, but will need a faster start against Cameroon if they are to advance.
The Indomitable Lions finished level on points and goal difference with reigning champions Côte d’Ivoire at the top of group F.
They managed an opening 1-0 victory over Gabon, a 1-1 draw with Côte d’Ivoire and a 2-1 comeback win over Mozambique in their group fixtures.
Making its fifth successive knockout-stage appearance and awaiting its 99th AFCON match, a victory would take Cameroon to an 11th AFCON quarterfinal.
The Indomitable Lions will need to sure-up their defence as they are yet to keep a clean sheet in an AFCON round of 16 fixture and have kept only one clean sheet in their last eight AFCON games.
The two sides are yet to meet this century and have only faced one another at an AFCON once, where South Africa emerged as 3-0 victors in 1996.