South Africa beat Tunisia to win the 1996 African Cup of Nations.
The final was played on February 3, 1996, at Johannesburg’s FNB Stadium, now commonly associated with Soccer City. South Africa won 2–0, with both goals scored by Mark Williams. The victory gave the hosts their first African Cup of Nations title.
The tournament was especially significant because it was South Africa’s first major continental championship after the end of apartheid and the country’s return to international football. President Nelson Mandela attended the final and celebrated with the team, making the triumph a powerful symbol of national unity and the country’s changing place in world sport.
Tunisia were runners-up, not the champions, although they had reached the final after a strong knockout-stage run. South Africa’s victory also began a period in which the national team, known as Bafana Bafana, became one of Africa’s most prominent sides. The competition was later renamed the Africa Cup of Nations, or AFCON.