Who Starts? Probable Line-ups for South Africa vs Cameroon
South Africa national football team and Cameroon national football team are set for a heavyweight showdown in the Round of 16 at the Africa Cup of Nations, with a place in the quarter-finals up for grabs.
The knockout clash will be played on Sunday, 4 January at the Al Medina Stadium. Kick-off is scheduled for 19:00 GMT (21:00 CAT).
Road to the AFCON 2025 last 16
Bafana Bafana qualified after finishing second in Group B with six points, ending one point behind Egypt. Hugo Broos’ side opened with a win over Angola, narrowly lost to the Pharaohs, and then edged Zimbabwe in a tense final group match.
Cameroon also progressed as group runners-up, collecting seven points in Group F, level with Ivory Coast but placed second on goal difference. The Indomitable Lions recorded wins over Gabon and Mozambique, alongside a draw against the defending champions.
This will be the first meeting between South Africa and Cameroon this century and only their second encounter at AFCON finals. The previous one came in 1996, when Bafana Bafana ran out 3–0 winners on home soil.
Tournament context
South Africa are competing in the Round of 16 for the third time and remain unbeaten at this stage of the competition, having never conceded a goal. Victory would send them into the quarter-finals for the seventh time in AFCON history.
Cameroon, meanwhile, are appearing in the knockout phase for a fifth consecutive tournament and are approaching their 99th AFCON match overall. A win would secure an 11th quarter-final appearance, although defensive solidity remains a concern, with no clean sheets kept in recent knockout games.
Probable line-ups
South Africa (4-3-3):
Williams (c); Mudau, Mbokazi, Ngezana, Modiba, Mokoena, Aubaas; Mbule, Appollis, Moremi, Foster.
Cameroon (3-5-2):
Fabrice Ondoa Epassy; Malone Junior, Enzo Kotto, Nouhou Tolo; Jackson Tchamadeu, Olivier Ntcham Avom, Carlos Baleba, Nathan Ngoumou Namaso, Darlin Yongwa; Bryan Mbeumo, Frank Kofane.
TV and broadcast
Kick-off: 19:00 GMT / 21:00 CAT
Venue: Al Medina Stadium, Rabat
Live on: SuperSport, SABC (South Africa), beIN Sports (international), Channel 4 Youtube.