AFCON: South Africa's record edition by edition | OneFootball

AFCON: The history of South Africa at the Africa Cup of Nations

AFCON: South Africa's record edition by edition

South Africa's journey at the Africa Cup of Nations has been unique, closely intertwined with the nation's political and sporting history. Absent from the continental scene during the apartheid era, Bafana Bafana made an unforgettable entrance in their debut appearance in 1996, winning the tournament on home soil and immediately staking their claim among Africa's footballing elite.

This explosive start was followed by mixed results. Runners-up in 1998, third place in 2000, the South Africans then experienced more erratic periods, alternating between early exits and outright absences. Despite these lows, the team managed to bounce back, as seen with their quarter-final run in 2019 and, above all, the remarkable third place clinched at AFCON 2023 in Côte d'Ivoire.

Here is a summary of South Africa's AFCON participations: