The real test of Pitso Mosimane’s return to the Bafana Bafana hot seat will begin on Saturday, September 26, when South Africa open their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign against Guinea at Orlando Amstel Arena in Johannesburg.
Mosimane, who was re-appointed as Bafana Bafana head coach earlier this month following the departure of Belgian Hugo Broos, returns to the national team for his third spell in charge and will immediately face a competitive examination against a Guinea side expected to provide a stern challenge.
The Group D encounter kicks off at 18:00 South African time and marks Mosimane’s first competitive match since taking over from Broos.
The experienced coach has been entrusted with the responsibility of guiding Bafana to the 2027 AFCON finals, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from June 19 to July 17, 2027.
South Africa have been drawn alongside Guinea, Eritrea and co-hosts Kenya in Group D. However, the group presents a different qualification scenario because Kenya have already qualified automatically as one of the tournament hosts.
That means only one additional team from Group D will qualify for the finals, making every point particularly important for Bafana, Guinea and Eritrea.
Mosimane inherits strong foundation
Mosimane takes over a Bafana side that enjoyed a positive period under Broos, including a third-place finish at the 2023 AFCON and a historic appearance in the knockout stages of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Rather than completely dismantling the squad, Mosimane has retained much of the core of the World Cup team while introducing five players who are yet to earn senior international caps.
The newcomers are Lebone Seema, Brooklyn Poggenpoel, Yanela Mbuthuma, Puso Dithejane and Tashreeq Matthews.
Experienced figures such as captain Ronwen Williams, Teboho Mokoena and Themba Zwane remain part of the squad, while players including Fawaaz Basadien and Lebohang Maboe have returned to the national setup.
Mosimane has named a 30-man squad for the opening international window, which will see Bafana play two AFCON qualifiers before facing Egypt in a friendly.
Guinea stands in the way
Guinea will provide Bafana’s first examination under Mosimane, with the West Africans expected to arrive with a dangerous attacking threat led by Borussia Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy.
Guinea have also recalled several experienced players, including Ilaix Moriba and Saïdou Sow, although former Liverpool midfielder Naby Keïta is among the established names missing from the squad.
For Bafana, the home fixture provides an opportunity to make an immediate statement in the qualifying campaign.
A victory would give Mosimane a positive start while putting South Africa in a strong early position in a group where there is little room for dropped points.
Quick turnaround against Eritrea
Bafana will not have much time to recover from their opening match, with their second Group D qualifier scheduled for Wednesday, September 30, against Eritrea.
The match will be played at the Al-Salam Stadium in Cairo, Egypt, with Eritrea using a neutral venue.
The two qualifiers form part of a demanding first international window for Mosimane.
After the Eritrea encounter, Bafana will remain in Egypt for a high-profile friendly against the hosts on October 4 at Cairo International Stadium.
While the Egypt match will not carry qualification points, it will provide Mosimane with another opportunity to assess his players and establish the playing style he wants to take forward.
The Mosimane factor
The appointment of Mosimane has brought renewed attention to Bafana Bafana, largely because of his record on the African continent.
The coach has won the CAF Champions League three times — once with Mamelodi Sundowns and twice with Egyptian giants Al Ahly — making him one of the most decorated South African coaches in continental football.
But his immediate task is not about his past achievements.
It is about getting Bafana through a qualifying group in which Kenya’s automatic qualification leaves South Africa effectively fighting Guinea and Eritrea for the remaining ticket.
The opening fixture against Guinea therefore carries significance beyond being Mosimane’s first competitive game since his return.
It is the beginning of Bafana’s road to the 2027 AFCON — and the first opportunity for Mosimane to demonstrate how his new-look side will perform when the points really matter.
