It’s a huge honour to be part of Bafana Bafana squad for AFCON 2025 – Sipho Chaine

Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Sipho Chaine says he is deeply honoured to be named in South Africa’s squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, marking his first-ever appearance at the continental tournament.

Chaine was not part of the previous AFCON squad, where Ronwen Williams, Veli Mothwa, and Ricardo Goss made up the goalkeeping unit.

However, a year of consistent and impressive performances for Pirates has made him a trusted option under Hugo Broos, paving the way for his inclusion in the team for Morocco 2025.

Reflecting on the call-up, Chaine described it as a privilege to represent South Africa on such a significant platform.

“It’s an honour to represent my country, to be part of the group that’s going to the Africa Cup of Nations,” said Chaine.

“It’s privilege, it’s privilege for everyone else who’s part of the team. We’ll push ourselves to make the country proud for South Africa to feel the way they used to feel.”

The Orlando Pirates shot-stopper has been in superb form this season, making 22 appearances across all competitions and keeping 15 clean sheets.

His impressive numbers underline why he has earned a place among Bafana Bafana’s finest heading into AFCON 2025.