South Africa's latest tracked major trophy is the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations. The counter below updates automatically.
South Africa — last major trophy
Time since last trophy
South Africa won as hosts on their first AFCON appearance in 1996, beating Tunisia 2-0. They had returned to international football in 1992, during the transition away from apartheid.
South Africa's only AFCON title carries deep symbolic weight beyond football: the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations, won as hosts, was Bafana Bafana's first appearance at the tournament after returning to international football in 1992, during the transition away from apartheid. South Africa beat Tunisia 2-0 in the Johannesburg final, with substitute Mark Williams scoring twice. President Nelson Mandela presented the trophy. South Africa returned to the AFCON final in 1998, losing 2-0 to Egypt. They hosted the first World Cup in Africa in 2010 and reached the World Cup round of 32 for the first time in 2026.
| Competition | Titles won | Tracked here |
|---|---|---|
| FIFA World Cup | 0 | Yes |
| Africa Cup of Nations | 1 | Yes |
| Appearances | 4 |
|---|---|
| Best result | Round of 32 (2026) |
| Most recent World Cup | 2026 |
| Year | Competition | Result | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Africa Cup of Nations | Won | 2-0 vs Tunisia, as hosts |
| 1998 | Africa Cup of Nations | Runner-up | Lost 2-0 to Egypt |
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South Africa
South AfricaThe 1996 Africa Cup of Nations, held on home soil, beating Tunisia 2-0 in the final.
It was their first AFCON appearance after returning to international football in 1992. The 1996 home victory under President Nelson Mandela became a symbol of national unity.
President Nelson Mandela.
They were eliminated in the group stage. Their first World Cup knockout appearance came in 2026.
Yes. South Africa last won AFCON in 1996, when they won the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations. The live counter above shows the current time since that title.
South Africa last won AFCON in 1996 at the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations.
The counter tracks the men's World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations, not subregional, age-restricted or club competitions. The sources below support the specified historical records.
The counter uses the start of 1996-02-03 in Johannesburg (Africa/Johannesburg). This is a local calendar-date convention, not a verified final-whistle or trophy-presentation time.
