Section
Bafana & Banyana
The men's and women's national teams: qualifying, history and the stories behind the names.
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Photo: 2010 World Cup - Shine 2010 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
How AFCON Qualifying Works
Bafana Bafana reach the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) by finishing high enough in a CAF-run qualifying group played home and away, while host nations qualify automatically.
Banyana Banyana History
Banyana Banyana, South Africa's women's national football team, went from a first official match in 1993 to continental champions in 2022 and the knockout stage of a World Cup in 2023.
Why Bafana Bafana?
"Bafana Bafana" is isiZulu for "the boys, the boys", often loosely translated as "our boys", and it is the nickname of South Africa's men's national football team.