The South African Football Association has extended its best wishes to the men’s national under-17 football team ahead of the upcoming 2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
This announcement was made via SAFA’s official X account, featuring a group image of the U17 team, coaches, executives, and officials at the association’s headquarters in South Africa. The tournament is set to take place from May 13 to June 2, offering opportunities for teams to qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
The association remarked:
The South African Football Association’s (SAFA) National Executive Committee (NEC) has wished the SA U17 men’s national team well ahead of their participation in the 2026 U17 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco (13 May-2 June 2026).
Softfootball reports that South Africa has been placed in a challenging Group D, which includes Senegal, Algeria, and Ghana.
Before their departure, the team attended a goodwill send-off event in Pretoria, where representatives from the 2026 FIFA World Cup co-hosts—United States, Canada, and Mexico—extended their best wishes to the young players.
Photographs from the occasion captured SAFA president Danny Jordaan with international guests during jersey exchanges and formal presentations, symbolizing unity and collaboration in football. The event highlighted national pride through the hashtag #BafanaPride.
Beyond youth teams, the senior national football team is enhancing fan participation through the #BafanaFriday initiative, including a feature from SABC News highlighting the increasing #BafanaFriday movement and encouraging fans to wear the national team’s traditional green and gold jerseys every Friday to show unity ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The latest merchandise campaign, featuring the animated character Po, has generated interest among fans while also prompting discussions regarding squad updates and kit availability.
The post showcasing the new yellow and green designs emphasizes the SAFA logo and the iconic protea emblem along with South Africa’s national colors. Captioned “pure drip,” the campaign encourages fans to purchase official merchandise from the team’s online store, reflecting Mzansi pride.
Pure drip! Have you seen how incredibly beautiful the Bafana Bafana jersey is? Green, gold, and pure Mzansi pride woven into every single thread. Let’s get behind the boys in style! Don’t miss out! grab your official Bafana Bafana merchandise today!
Brands Adidas and Standard Bank were also mentioned in the promotional announcement.
