Newly appointed Bafana Bafana head coach Pitso Mosimane will begin what promises to be a demanding new chapter with the national team when South Africa face Egypt in an international friendly at the Cairo International Stadium on Sunday, 4 October 2026.
The encounter, confirmed by the South African Football Association (SAFA), will be played at 20:00 South African time and will provide Mosimane with an early opportunity to assess his squad against one of Africa’s most established football nations.
However, Egypt will not be Mosimane’s first match on the Bafana Bafana bench since his return. His first assignment will come on 26 September when South Africa host Guinea in their opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. Four days later, Bafana will travel to face Eritrea before heading to Cairo for the friendly against Egypt.
The demanding sequence of matches will give Mosimane little time to settle into his new role as he begins his latest attempt to build a Bafana side capable of competing for honours on the continent.
A familiar return to Egypt
The Cairo encounter carries an additional layer of significance for Mosimane because Egypt is hardly unfamiliar territory for the experienced South African coach.
Mosimane spent two successful years in Egypt as head coach of African giants Al Ahly, whom he joined in 2020 after leaving Mamelodi Sundowns.
During his time with the Cairo-based giants, Mosimane enjoyed remarkable continental success, guiding Al Ahly to consecutive CAF Champions League titles in 2020 and 2021. The 2021 triumph came after Al Ahly defeated Kaizer Chiefs 3-0 in the final in Casablanca, giving Mosimane his third Champions League title as a coach following his 2016 success with Sundowns.
His achievements with Al Ahly established him as one of Africa’s most successful coaches and earned him enormous respect in Egyptian football.
He therefore returns to a country where he is already a well-known figure, but this time he will be on the opposite side of the touchline, leading the South African national team against the Pharaohs.
SAFA president Danny Jordaan has also acknowledged the significance of Mosimane’s previous experience in Egypt, saying matches against Egypt are always difficult and that Mosimane’s return adds another dimension to the encounter.
A new era for Bafana
Mosimane’s return marks the beginning of a new era for Bafana Bafana following the departure of Hugo Broos.
The South African coach previously served as Bafana head coach after the 2010 FIFA World Cup and is now back with the responsibility of guiding the national team through another important period. CAF describes him as a three-time Champions League-winning coach, with continental titles secured with both Sundowns and Al Ahly.
His immediate priority will be ensuring that Bafana make a strong start to their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign.
The Guinea encounter will provide the first opportunity for Mosimane to put his plans into practice, before the away trip to Eritrea presents another challenge.
The Egypt friendly will then offer the coach an opportunity to measure the progress of his team against a heavyweight opponent and potentially experiment with his squad ahead of the more demanding matches that lie ahead.
History adds spice to Cairo clash
The meeting with Egypt will also revive a rivalry that has produced several memorable encounters.
Bafana famously defeated Egypt 1-0 at the Cairo International Stadium during the 2019 AFCON, with Thembinkosi Lorch scoring late in the match to send South Africa into the quarter-finals.
However, Egypt won the most recent meeting between the sides, claiming a 1-0 victory over Bafana at the 2025 AFCON on 26 December. The result ended South Africa’s six-match unbeaten run against the Pharaohs.
The Cairo friendly therefore presents Mosimane with an opportunity to begin building his Bafana legacy against a country that has played an important role in his own coaching journey.
The road ahead
For Mosimane, the journey will be about much more than one friendly.
The Egypt encounter comes as part of a hectic period in which he will have to establish his tactical philosophy, assess the players available to him and begin laying the foundation for a team capable of competing at the highest level of African football.
His schedule is unforgiving: Guinea at home on 26 September, Eritrea away on 30 September and Egypt in Cairo on 4 October.
By the time Bafana leave Egypt, Mosimane should have a clearer picture of the strengths and weaknesses of his new squad.
And for a coach who knows Egyptian football perhaps better than most South African coaches, there could hardly be a more intriguing destination for his first friendly assignment.
Mosimane’s second spell with Bafana Bafana is only beginning, but the road ahead already promises to be a long and demanding one.
