South Africa national soccer B team

See also: South Africa national soccer team

South Africa Development team

Nickname	Bafana Bafana
Association	South African Football Association
Confederation	CAF (Africa)
Sub-confederation	COSAFA
Head coach	Molefi Ntseki
Captain	Neo Maema
FIFA code	RSA
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	N/A
African Nations Championship
Appearances	3 (first in 2011 )
Best result	Quarter-finals (2011)
COSAFA Cup
Appearances	13 (first in 2008 )
Best result	Champions (2008), (2016), (2021)

The South Africa national development football team, is a development football (soccer) team, which represents South Africa and is controlled by the South African Football Association, the governing body for football in South Africa. The team's main objective is to give international exposure to home-based players, by allowing them to play 'B-level' internationals. Since the advent of the African Nations Championship, the team now attempts to qualify for and play at the event.

Since 2008 SAFA have sent the team to the COSAFA Cup, instead of the senior team. The team has played at one African Nations Championship and thirteen COSAFA Cups.

Player eligibility

African Championship of Nations regulations require teams to be made up only of players from the association's national leagues. As the team is not an official national team, and does not play in FIFA sanctioned tournaments, clubs are not required to release players for matches. Usually the only Premier Soccer League players released are non-squad members. Many players are selected from the National First Division (second tier) and Vodacom League (third tier).^{[ citation needed ]}

Match status

Matches played by the team are not classified as 'A-level' internationals. Thus caps awarded for matches do not count as senior national team caps. Matches played by the team also do not count towards FIFA ranking points, even when the team plays other countries' senior national teams.

Recent and future matches

2025

South Africa   v   Egypt

2 March CHAN qualification	South Africa	1–1	Egypt	Bloemfontein, South Africa
17:00	Webber 80'	Report	Mohamed Antar 66'	Stadium: Free State Stadium

Egypt   v   South Africa

8 March CHAN qualification	Egypt	1–3	South Africa	Ismailia, Egypt
17:00	Mohamed Shika 32'	Report	Maema 15' Mfolozi 26' Luthuli 50'	Stadium: Suez Canal Stadium

Malawi   v   South Africa

3 May CHAN qualification	Malawi	1–0	South Africa	Lilongwe, Malawi
15:00  UTC+2	Zeliat Nkhoma 88'	Report		Stadium: Bingu National Stadium

South Africa   v   Malawi

11 May CHAN qualification	South Africa	2–0	Malawi	Pretoria, South Africa
15:00  UTC+2	Victor Letsoalo 11' Neo Maema 86'	Report		Stadium: Loftus Versfeld Stadium

South Africa   v   Mozambique

4 June 2025 COSAFA Cup	South Africa	0–1	Mozambique	Bloemfontein, South Africa
15:00  UTC+2		Report	Sumbane 73'	Stadium: Free State Stadium Referee: Arnaud Zafimahatoha (Madagascar)

South Africa   v   Zimbabwe

7 June 2025 COSAFA Cup	South Africa	2–0	Zimbabwe	Bloemfontein, South Africa
15:00  UTC+2	Dlamini 40' (pen.) Okon 78'	Report		Stadium: Dr. Petrus Molemela Stadium Referee: Thabang Ketshabile (Botswana)

South Africa   v   Mauritius

10 June 2025 COSAFA Cup	South Africa	0–0	Mauritius	Bloemfontein, South Africa
18:00  UTC+2		Report		Stadium: Free State Stadium Referee: Celso Alvação (Mozambique)

South Africa   v   Comoros

13 June 2025 COSAFA Cup	South Africa	3–1	Comoros	Bloemfontein, South Africa
18:00  UTC+2	I. Mohamed 8' (o.g.) Radiopane 14' Sebelebele 60'	Report	Madi 29'	Stadium: Free State Stadium Referee: Hillary Hambaba (Zambia)

Angola   v   South Africa

15 June 2025 COSAFA Cup	Angola	3–0	South Africa	Bloemfontein, South Africa
15:00  UTC+2	Depú 43', 62' Milson 81'	Report		Stadium: Free State Stadium Referee: Brighton Chimene (Zimbabwe)

Algeria   v   South Africa

8 August 2024 African Nations Championship	Algeria	1–1	South Africa	Kampala, Ugangda
15:00  UTC+2	Belhocini 29'		Kutumela 45'	Stadium: Mandela National Stadium

Guinea   v   South Africa

11 August 2024 African Nations Championship	Guinea	1–2	South Africa	Kampala, Ugangda
15:00  UTC+2	Moussa Camara 37'		Maema 10' Kutumela 54'	Stadium: Mandela National Stadium

Niger   v   South Africa

15 August 2024 African Nations Championship	Niger	0–0	South Africa	Kampala, Ugangda
15:00  UTC+2				Stadium: Mandela National Stadium

Uganda   v   South Africa

18 August 2024 African Nations Championship	Uganda	3–3	South Africa	Kampala, Ugangda
15:00  UTC+2	Ssemugabi 31' Okello 88' (pen.) Ochaki 90+6' (pen.)		Mphahlele 52' Kutumela 58' Ndlondlo 83'	Stadium: Mandela National Stadium

Tournament records

African Nations Championship record

African Nations Championship
Appearances: 3
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
2009	Did not qualify
2011	Quarter-finals	6th	4	3	0	1	6	4
2014	Group stage	9th	3	1	1	1	5	5
2016	Did not qualify
2018
2020
2022
2024	Group stage	10th	4	1	3	0	6	5
Total	Quarter-finals	3/7	11	5	4	2	17	14

COSAFA Cup record

Hosts/Year	Result	GP	W	D*	L	GS	GA
2008	Champions	3	3	0	0	4	1
2009	Fourth Place	3	1	1	1	3	2
2013	Third Place	3	2	1	0	4	2
2015	Quarter-finals	1	0	1	0	0	0
2016	Champions	3	2	1	0	9	4
2017	Quarter-finals	1	0	0	1	0	1
2018	Quarter-finals	1	0	1	0	0	0
2019	Quarter-finals	1	0	1	0	2	2
2021 [1]	Champions	6	4	2	0	9	0
2022	Quarter-finals	1	0	1	0	0	0
2023	Third Place	5	2	2	1	6	5
2024	Group stage	3	1	2	3	2	1
2025 [2]	Runners-Up	5	2	1	2	5	5
Total	3 titles

• Before the 2008 tournament, SAFA sent the senior team.

Honours

• COSAFA Cup: 2008 ¹ , 2016, 2021

• ^1 Prior to 2008, SAFA sent the senior national team to the COSAFA Cup.

References

1. Lindeque, Brent (20 July 2021). "South Africa Triumph in 2021 COSAFA Cup Final to Claim Fifth Title". Good Things Guy. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
2. "Angola crowned champions of COSAFA region for second year in a row". Angola crowned champions of COSAFA region for second year in a row. Retrieved 1 January 2026.

External links

• South Africa FA official website