There will be a new name in town on the front of South African football jerseys in 2020, with the new sponsor of Bafana Bafana, Banyana Banyana Co. being confirmed.
Having worked with the likes of Kappa, Puma, Adidas and Nike in the past, it has now been confirmed to the Siya crew that historic French brand, Le Coq Sportif, will be taking over as the nation's new kit sponsor after signing a long-term deal.
Bafana are hoping for a successful 2020 under the leadership of local coach, Molefi Ntseki, as they aim to progress their hopes of reaching the 2021 African Cup of Nations and 2022 FIFA World Cup, and they'll be doing so with a rooster on their chests.
Roger Noades, director of Le Coq Sportif in South Africa, has spoken of his delight at teaming up with the South African Football Association, but admits that the Coronavirus outbreak means that they aren't sure when the likes of Percy Tau and Thembi Kgatlana will be able to sport their new threads for the first time.
Noades told the crew, "We're really excited about the deal, we've signed a five-year deal with SAFA starting officially from June 1, however with the delays due to the virus we're not sure when the players will get to wear it for the first time.
"We totally believe that with a bit of French flair, we can play our part moving forward. Le Coq Sportif is one of the oldest brands in the world, it's been going since 1882, so we've got heritage. We know exactly what South Africans love… I have a nine-year-old, and I'm hoping to help build South African footballing icons for him and the generations to come.
"We've been here in the country for 12 years now, we know South Africans love their football, and we want to support that. We want to build those icons with SAFA, with Bafana, with Banyana."
Football in South Africa has been suspended until mid-April as the country prepares to go into lockdown, but the crew will look to see whether there's a chance to see what Le Coq Sportif have got cooking in the coming weeks.
