Hugo Broos: Bafana priced out of top friendlies before World Cup

Hugo Broos: Bafana priced out of top friendlies before World Cup

Having secured his side's place at the World Cup finals, Broos' attention now turns to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Bafana play Angola, Egypt and Zimbabwe in the group stage of the competition that kicks off in Morocco on December 21st.

The World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico begins in June next year and Broos hopes to secure a friendly with Belgium as part of their build-up after admitting that South Africa were priced out of facing World Cup champions Argentina.

The Bafana boss said on IOL: "I want to tell you something. In March, we asked to play against Argentina, the world champions. For them, it's millions; for us, that's billions of rands.

"You can't afford that. Maybe if you play in front of a full stadium, it could help, but it's still a lot of money. And we are not rich.

"Probably we will play in June against Belgium - maybe - we will see. We are talking. So before we go to America, it should be a very good game. But we are working on it.

"Even in March, we are working on it. We need games. It's not easy to find them.

"The challenge for South Africa is that when a European or South American team has to travel far, it becomes disadvantageous for us, and we are not a rich federation."

Bafana have one friendly match lined up ahead of the upcoming AFCON, against neighbours Zambia at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on 15 November.

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