Why South Sudan have only 15 players to take on Bafana

South Sudan coach Nichola Dupuis says financial constraints are the reason why his side have only come to South Africa with 15 players for their final 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Group K qualifier at the Cape Town Stadium on Tuesday.

ALSO READ: Mokoena wants to follow in Williams’ Ballon D’Or footsteps

Dupuis is using the Bafana game more as preparation for an an African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier against Uganda next month, with his side’s hopes of making it to the AFCON in Morocco long-since done and dusted.

Bafana have already made it to Morocco, but will be determined to finish as Group K winners with three points against South Sudan at home.

South Sudan are ‘very proud’ to play Bafana

“We are very proud to play against such a team tomorrow, a very good team,” said Dupuis at Monday’s pre-match press conference.

“Congratulations to South Africa on qualifying for AFCON. We have only 14 or 15 players here, the tickets were too expensive.

“But we are fighters, our players are in very good spirits and we will do our best.”

South Sudan are coming off their first win in AFCON qualifying, a 3-2 home victory over Congo-Brazzaville on Thursday. That result confirmed Bafana and Uganda’s place at Morocco 2025, before their game kicked off the following day.

“Last week we won against Congo-Brazzaville with out CHAN team,” added Dupuis.

“And we have brought only our CHAN team here. We have to prepare for our second round of eliminators for CHAN, we play Rwanda in December. We are here to prepare for that one and to play a beautiful game aganst a beautiful team.”

Before the game against Congo-Brazzaville, South Sudan also beat Kenya 2-0 in Juba in the first qualifying round for CHAN at the end of October.

“Three weeks ago we played Kenya … and won for the first time in Juba, so we are confident in our stadium at home,” said Dupuis.

“Here it is not the same. We saw the game where South Africa beat Congo 5-0 here (in October).

“I am very afraid of that … in South Africa there are a lot of very good players. You made the semifinal of the (last) AFCON.

Bafana are ‘one of the best five or six’

“I think South Africa is one of the five or six best teams in Africa. South Sudan is not the same …we have only local players.

ALSO READ: Former Bafana and Chiefs defender headed to Sekhukhune

“But my players are good and we have trained a lot. In October and November we have trained maybe 30 times with them, that is why their level has improved. Between South Africa and South Sudan, the level is not the same, but in football anything is possible.”