The Nigeria vs South Africa live stream is the first AFCON 2023 semi-final of the day, with two stern defences coming up against each other — and you can watch it from anywhere with a VPN.
The Nigeria vs South Africa live stream takes place today (Weds, Feb. 7).
► Time 5 p.m. GMT / 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT / 4 a.m. AEDT (Feb. 8)
• FREE — BBC iPlayer (U.K.)
• U.S. — beIN Sports via SlingTV, Fubo or Fanatiz
• Watch anywhere — try ExpressVPN 100% risk free
Nigeria come into this semi-final as favourites to win the entire tournament – and they've done it largely through being almost impossible to score against. The Super Eagles have conceded just once so far at AFCON 2023 – Iban Salvador's opener in their draw with Equatorial Guinea at the start of the group stage – but with José Peseiro's side showing signs of fatigue in their quarter-final win over Angola, they could struggle to maintain that record against Bafana Bafana.
South Africa's back line is almost equally impenetrable, with four clean sheets kept since going down 2-0 to Mali in their opening game. Even during their shootout win in the quarter-final goalkeeper Ronwen Williams only let one penalty in, so Nigeria will have their work cut out here. Hugo Broos' men have already eliminated pre-tournament favourites Morocco, so despite not reaching this stage of the competition in nearly 25 years, and never having beaten Nigeria in a Cup of Nations tie, they will still fancy reaching their first AFCON final since 1998.
Here's how the teams line up:
Nigeria XI: Nwabali (GK); Aina, Ekong, Ajayi, Bassey; Osayi-Samuel, Onyeka, Iwobi; Lookman, Simon, Osimhen.
South Africa XI: Williams (GK); Modiba, Mvala, Xulu, Kekana; Sithole, Mokoena, Zwane; Tau, Mudau, Makgopa.
Read on as we explain where to watch Nigeria vs South Africa live streams from anywhere and watch AFCON 2023 from anywhere.
How to Watch FREE Nigeria vs South Africa live streams
Football fans in the U.K. can watch Nigeria vs South Africa for FREE on BBC Two, BBC Sport and on BBC iPlayer. This is a free service but you should have a valid U.K. TV license. It's one of 10 fixtures that will be free-to-air on the BBC.
If you're not currently in the U.K., and have a valid TV license, you can still watch a Nigeria vs South Africa live stream by using one of the best VPN services, such as ExpressVPN.
If you live in South Africa then you can enjoy every single minute of this AFCON 2023 game without spending a penny. That's because the Nigeria vs South Africa will be broadcast and streaming for FREE.
The full game will be televised via SABC with an online stream available on SABC Plus, so you can watch every single dramatic moment without needing a streaming service subscription or having to pay a box office fee.
But what if you're usually based in South Africa but aren't at home for the Nigeria vs South Africa live stream? Perhaps, you're on holiday and don't want to spend money on a paid streaming service in a foreign country when you'd usually be able to watch for free at home.
Don't worry — you can watch it via a VPN instead, and we'll show you how to do that below. Our favorite VPN service right now is ExpressVPN. It's fast, works on lots of devices and even offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, but you'll find others in our best VPN services list.
How to watch Nigeria vs South Africa live streams from around the world
A VPN, or virtual private network, makes it look as if you're surfing the web from your home country, rather than the one you're in. That means you can access the streaming services you already pay for, from anywhere on Earth. Or anywhere that has an internet connection, at least.
For instance, a Brit who's currently in the U.S. could watch Nigeria vs South Africa live streams on the BBC iPlayer, even though they're not in the U.K.
They're totally legal, inexpensive and easy to use. We've tested lots of the best VPN services and our favorite right now is ExpressVPN. It's fast, works on loads of devices and even offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, ExpressVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're in the U.S. and want to view a U.K. service, you'd select U.K. from the list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to BBC iPlayer or another service and watch the game.
How to watch a Nigeria vs South Africa live stream in the U.S.
Soccer fans in the U.S. will want beIN Sports to catch the AFCON 2023 live streams, including Nigeria vs South Africa, and there are plenty of ways to tune in.
beIN Sports is available through most cable packages as well as some of the best cable TV alternatives, including Sling TV, Fubo, YouTube TV and Hulu with Live TV.
For cord-cutters, one option is Sling TV. The Sling Blue package is priced from $40 per month and it comes with more than 30 channels including USA. New users often get a discount on their first month.
Fubo costs $75 per month for 121 channels and includes beIN Sports, plus ESPN, NBC and plenty of others besides. It also offer a 7-day free trial.
There's also Fanatiz, which costs $9.99 and provides access to the AFCON 2023 live streams.
If you already use those services but aren't in the U.S. right now, you can watch Nigeria vs South Africa live streams by using a VPN such as ExpressVPN. And if, for whatever reason, you can't get it working, do remember that you have the comfort of a 30-day money back guarantee with ExpressVPN.
How to watch a Nigeria vs South Africa live stream in the U.K.
Thanks to a late deal, the BBC is currently has secured the rights to show 10 AFCON 2023 games for free on BBC Two and on BBC iPlayer as well. These include both semi-finals and the final.
Sky Sports is showing all 52 matches of AFCON 2023, including a Nigeria vs South Africa live stream. If you already have a Sky subscription that doesn't include Sports, you'll need to pay £18/month to add those channels.
Whichever package you go for, you'll also gain access to coverage in 4K and HDR, so long as you also have an HDR-ready Sky Q box and HLG-compatible TV.
Sky Glass is another option. This gives you Sky TV within a 4K TV that has a built-in Dolby Atmos soundbar, and without the need for a dish. Prices start at £13/month for the TV, plus a sky sub on top of that.
If you don't want to shell out for a full Sky subscription, you could also consider its Now Sports streaming service. This gives you 24-hour access for £11.99 or month-long access for £34.99.
All sounds great, right? But if you're not in the UK, you can still follow a Nigeria vs South Africa live stream by using one of the best VPN services, such as ExpressVPN.
How to watch Nigeria vs South Africa in Canada
Canadians can watch a Nigeria vs South Africa live stream on Fubo, which is also the home of Premier League soccer in Canada.
For just CAN$24.99 a month, you'll get access to the Essentials plan, which gets you AFCON 2023 matches via beIN Sports, all Premier League matches, all Serie A matches plus 29 channels including MLB Network. The $39.99 Premium plan adds 20 entertainment channels and more on top of that.
Canadians stuck abroad that still want their low-price alternative can use a VPN such as ExpressVPN to trick their streaming device into thinking it's back in the great white north.
How to watch Nigeria vs South Africa in Australia
If you want to watch a Nigeria vs South Africa live stream from Australia you'll need to have access to beIN Sports. This can be added to your TV package, or you can sign up for beIN as a separate subscription. This costs $19 per month or $179 for the year.
Alternatively, you can opt for Kayo Sports which includes beIN in its package. Kayo also offers a two-week trial, and after your free 14 days, a basic plan costs $25 a month, while a Premium subscription is a little more expensive at $35.
Not in Australia right now? You can simply use ExpressVPN to watch all the action on your travels as if you were back home.
More from Tom's Guide
- Best VPN services on the market
- How to watch Premier League soccer online
- How to watch the 2024 Super Bowl
