Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos on Thursday announced his 2024 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) preliminary squad.
The Belgian mentor announced a 50-man preliminary squad that will be trimmed to 23 players in the beginning of the new year shortly before departure to Ivory Coast.
The 34th edition of the biennial continental tournament will take centre stage from January 13 to February 11 2024.
Broos’ charges will assemble for camp on January 4 and then travel to Stellenbosch for a training camp that will last until January 9.
Bafana will then play a training match against Lesotho behind closed doors at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville, Pretoria before departing for the tournament.
South Africa secured qualification for the continental showpiece after topping their Group K ahead of World Cup semi-finalists Morocco.
Bafana are in one of the toughest groups in the tournament, as they are pitted against Tunisia, Mali, and neighbours Namibia in Group E.
After the draw in October, Broos said he was not unhappy with the draw and fancy his team to make it out of the group stages.
“Honestly, I am not really unhappy [at the draw], especially when you see the teams we were presented with,” Broos said.
“Mali and Tunisia are both big teams for sure, but I preferred them than Senegal or Ivory Coast – which is very good for us.
“And then Namibia is a team we know very well, so I think if we achieve our best level, we can go through the group stages.”
