Mali will take on South Africa in their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) opener at the Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium on Tuesday. They are part of Group E in the competition, and will also go up against Tunisia and Namibia later in the group stage.
Both these teams have recorded good runs in this competition in the past. Mali were runners-up in 1972 whereas their South Africa lifted the trophy in 1996. While Mali are beginning their ninth consecutive appearance in AFCON finals, South Africa will be hoping to make amends for failing to qualify in 2021.
Mali are undefeated since a defeat against Gambia in the AFCON qualifiers and will be looking to kick off this new campaign with a win. They have the better momentum heading into the tournament as South Africa's last official outing ended in a defeat at the hands of Rwanda in the World Cup qualifiers.
Here GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch, including TV channel, streaming details and more.
Mali vs South Africa kick-off time
| Date: | January 16, 2024 |
| Kick-off time: | 3 pm EDT |
| Venue: | Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium |
The match will be played at the Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium on Tuesday, with kick-off at 3 pm EDT for fans in the US.
How to watch Mali vs South Africa online - TV channels & live streams
 | Fubo | Watch here |
 | Fanatiz | Watch here |
 | Sling TV | Watch here |
 | beIN SPORTS | Watch here |
The match will be shown live on Fubo, Fanatiz, Sling TV and beIN Sports in the US. Match highlights will be available on the platform and YouTube. Live updates can be found here on GOAL.
Team news & squads
Mali team news
Mali, grappling with injuries, will have to deal with the absence of key contributors such as El Bilal Toure from Atalanta BC, Cheick Doucoure of Crystal Palace, and Southampton forward Moussa Djenepo.
Doucoure has been out of action since undergoing Achilles tendon surgery in December, while Toure has been sidelined since last August due to a severe thigh injury.
Mali predicted XI: Diawara; H Traore, Niakate, Fofana, Sacko; Haidara, Coulibaly, Bissouma; M Doumbia, Sissoko, Koita.
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Diawara, Diarra, Doumbia |
| Defenders: | Traoré, Dante, Kouyaté, Niakaté (Sikou), Niakaté (Youssoufou), Sacko, Fofana |
| Midfielders: | Haidara, Samassékou, Bissouma, Coulibaly, Camara, Traoré (Adama), Dieng, Traoré (Boubacar) |
| Forwards: | Doumbia (Moussa), Sissoko, Doucouré, Diabaté, Koïta, Sinayoko, Dorgeles |
South Africa team news
In the South African camp, captain Ronwen Williams is managing a minor knee issue but he is expected to shrug it off and start. Mothobi Mvala of Mamelodi Sundowns recently sustained a groin injury, but he has since recovered.
While the conditions of both players are under observation, they have traveled with the 23-man squad, which includes notable names like Themba Zwane, Teboho Mokoena and Percy Tau.
South Africa predicted XI: Willams; Mudau, Xulu, Mvala, Modiba; Mokoena, Sithole; Zwane, Tau; Mayambela; Makgopa.
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Williams, Mothwa, Goss |
| Defenders: | Mobbie, Mashego, Xulu, Modiba, Kekana, Sibisi, Mudau, Xoki |
| Midfielders: | Mokoena, Adams, Maseko, Sithole, Monare, Morena, Mthethwa |
| Forwards: | Appollis, Makgopa, Tau, Zwane, Lepasa, Mayambela, Mokwana |
Head-to-Head Record
| Date | Match | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 13/10/19 | South Africa 2 - 1 Mali | Friendly |
| 15/01/14 | South Africa 1 - 1 Mali | African Nations Championship |
| 03/02/13 | South Africa 1 - 1 P Mali | AFCON |
| 03/02/02 | South Africa 0 - 2 Mali | AFCON |