What Bafana’s Afcon fixture in Nelson Mandela Bay will mean for the region

Football in the Eastern Cape has been starved as far Bafana Bafana are concerned, but all that is set to change when the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium hosts the crucial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) Group K qualifier clash between the hosts and Congo Brazzaville in October. The 2010 World Cup venue will stage its first Fifa international fixture since Bafana Bafana defeated Sao Tome and Principe in November 2020. Safa initially wanted to host the match at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein, but were forced to change to Gqeberha because of logistical challenges beyond their control in the Free State capital.  In Behind The Herald Headlines with Daron Mann this week, we speak to Safa Nelson Mandela Bay president Simphiwe Mkhangelwa who expects people will come “in their numbers”. Mkhangelwa also talks about what this means for the region. The Herald