Pitso Mosimane is back in charge of Bafana Bafana, with South Africa entering a new era as the experienced coach prepares for his first competitive matches since returning to the national team.
Mosimane was reappointed as South Africa head coach on 1 September 2026, succeeding Hugo Broos and returning to the national-team setup with extensive experience at the highest level of African football. His immediate task is to guide Bafana Bafana through the opening rounds of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The appointment marks Mosimane’s third spell in charge of Bafana Bafana, following a seven-match interim stint in 2007 and his longer permanent tenure after the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He has since gone on to build an impressive coaching CV, including three CAF Champions League titles.
Mosimane Begins a New Chapter
The return of Mosimane represents a significant change at the top of South African football, but the new coach inherits a team that has already made considerable progress under Broos.
Broos guided Bafana Bafana to third place at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and subsequently helped South Africa reach the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Mosimane’s challenge will therefore involve maintaining the foundations established during the previous era while implementing his own tactical ideas and identifying the players he believes can take the national team forward.
The coach has also made it clear that taking charge of Bafana carries significance beyond football, describing the role as being bigger than himself during his return to the national-team job.
AFCON Qualifiers Provide Immediate Test
Mosimane will not have a lengthy settling-in period.
Bafana Bafana’s first competitive match under their new coach will come against Guinea on 26 September, with South Africa hosting the West African side in Johannesburg.
The team will then travel to Egypt to face Eritrea on 30 September at a neutral venue in Cairo. South Africa will remain in Egypt for a friendly against the hosts on 4 October.
The opening matches will give Mosimane his first opportunity to implement his ideas in competitive football while also assessing the strengths and weaknesses of his squad.
Five New Faces in Mosimane’s Squad
One of the clearest early signs of change has been Mosimane’s willingness to introduce fresh talent.
The coach selected five players for their maiden Bafana Bafana call-ups in his final squad for the opening AFCON qualifiers: Lebone Seema, Brooklyn Poggenpoel, Yanela Mbuthuma, Puso Dithejane and Tashreeq Matthews.
Mosimane reduced his preliminary 35-man selection to a final 30-player squad for the Guinea and Eritrea matches, while also keeping the Egypt friendly in mind.
The selections suggest that the new coach is already assessing a wider group of players as he begins shaping his version of Bafana Bafana.
A Complicated Group D
South Africa have been drawn in Group D alongside Guinea, Eritrea and Kenya.
However, the qualifying situation is unusual because Kenya are one of the three co-hosts of AFCON 2027 and have already secured automatic qualification for the tournament.
As a result, only the highest-ranked team other than Kenya in Group D will qualify for the 24-team finals. That makes the opening fixtures particularly important for South Africa and Guinea.
The first meeting between South Africa and Guinea could therefore have significant implications for the qualification race.
Guinea will arrive with a squad containing several familiar names, including Borussia Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy and Ilaix Moriba, while Paulo Duarte has also recalled several players who were previously unavailable.
Building on the Previous Generation
Another major talking point during Mosimane’s tenure will be how he manages the balance between established internationals and emerging talent.
The new coach has already demonstrated a willingness to look beyond the familiar names with his latest squad selections. At the same time, South Africa still have an established core of players who played important roles during the Broos era.
Mosimane’s task will be to determine which players fit his tactical approach while creating sufficient competition for places across the squad.
The upcoming qualifiers and friendly against Egypt will provide an early window into his thinking.
Mosimane’s Continental Experience
Mosimane returns to Bafana with significantly more continental experience than he had during his first permanent spell.
He guided Mamelodi Sundowns to the CAF Champions League title in 2016 before taking charge of Egyptian giants Al Ahly, where he added two more Champions League titles to his record.
CAF lists Mosimane among the competition’s most successful coaches, with three Champions League titles to his name.
That experience will now be brought back to the national-team environment as South Africa attempt to qualify for another major continental tournament.
The Road to AFCON 2027 Begins
The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, with the tournament scheduled for 19 June to 17 July 2027.
For Bafana Bafana, the qualification campaign begins with a new coach, a refreshed squad and a demanding Group D situation.
The opening match against Guinea on 26 September will officially mark the beginning of Mosimane’s latest chapter with the national team.
For South African supporters, the focus will now shift from the appointment itself to what happens on the pitch.
Bafana Bafana have entered a new era. Pitso Mosimane is back, a new generation is being introduced, and the road to AFCON 2027 has officially begun.
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