In a significant development for African football, South Africa's head coach Hugo Broos has unveiled his preliminary squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, and a notable inclusion is Nigeria-eligible defender Ime Okon.
Bafana Bafana's Extensive Preliminary Roster
Hugo Broos named a massive 54-player preliminary list for the upcoming tournament in Morocco, making South Africa the first of the 24 participating nations to publicize its initial selection. The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations is scheduled to run from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
The squad is heavily dominated by home-based talent, with 42 players from the domestic Premier Soccer League. Only 12 foreign-based professionals made the extensive list. Orlando Pirates contributed the most players with 13, followed by rivals Mamelodi Sundowns with 10, including captain Ronwen Williams.
Veteran attacker Themba Zwane, despite injury struggles at 36 years old, retains his place, while there's no spot for Percy Tau. Broos will eventually trim this large group down to the final 23-man squad for the tournament proper.
Ime Okon's International Commitment to South Africa
The most intriguing story emerges with the inclusion of Ime Okon, the German Bundesliga defender who plays for Hannover 96. Born in Johannesburg to a Nigerian father and South African mother, Okon had the option to represent either nation but has firmly committed to Bafana Bafana.
Okon has already made five appearances for South Africa's national team, making him ineligible for Nigeria under current regulations. An appearance at AFCON 2025 would further cement his status as a South African international star.
The former SuperSport United defender missed South Africa's recent 1-1 draw against Nigeria in World Cup qualifying due to injury, which would have marked his first encounter with the Super Eagles. He's expected to be named in the final 23-man squad and play a significant role for South Africa in Morocco.
South Africa's AFCON 2025 Prospects
Bafana Bafana qualified for AFCON 2025 by topping Group K during the qualifiers, ahead of Uganda, Congo Republic, and South Africa. They face a challenging tournament group alongside neighbors Zimbabwe, North African powerhouse Egypt, and Angola.
Coach Broos will be hoping his team improves upon their performance in the previous edition, where they lost to Nigeria in the semi-finals before defeating DR Congo in the third-place match. The inclusion of emerging talents like Okon signals South Africa's intent to build a competitive squad for the continental showpiece.
Meanwhile, Nigeria's own preparations are underway, with reports indicating that coach Eric Chelle has submitted his 55-man preliminary squad to the Nigeria Football Federation following the disappointment of failing to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
