South Africa
Manager: Hugo Broos
A three-point deduction for fielding an ineligible player was not enough to stop South Africa from topping a qualifying section ahead of a strong Nigeria side, suggesting they are not merely here to make up the numbers this summer. They will certainly be happy to take teams to penalties if they reach the knockout stage given goalkeeper and captain Ronwen Williams saved four spot-kicks in a shootout at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, but that looks fanciful given the strength of their three opponents in Group A. A point may be the best they can muster.
