Bafana Bafana will face Egypt in an international friendly match on 4 October 2026 at Cairo International Stadium, with kickoff at 20h00 South Africa time. The fixture concludes a busy September for the South Africa national team, which includes an AFCON 2027 qualifier against Guinea on 26 September and an away match against Eritrea on 30 September.
What does this friendly mean for Pitso Mosimane’s tenure?
This match will be Pitso Mosimane’s first game in charge of Bafana Bafana since his appointment, following his successful stint at Al Ahly where he won two CAF Champions League titles. Mosimane is set to announce a preliminary squad for the upcoming AFCON qualifiers before the end of the week, giving fans their first look at his selection philosophy. His first competitive match will be the CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifier against Guinea on 26 September 2026.
How does recent form shape expectations?
South Africa enters this friendly having played three matches in the FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign, with a league standing of 2nd, 4 points from 1 win, 1 draw, and 1 loss, and a recent form of LWDL. The team has scored 2 goals and conceded 3 this season, leaving them with a goal difference of -1 and 5 points behind leaders Mexico. Their last result was a 0-1 defeat to Canada on June 28, 2026, at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, California, where Ronwen Williams inspected the pitch before kickoff-a moment captured by Jared C. Tilton and credited to FIFA/Getty Images.
What history exists between these sides?
The last meeting between Bafana Bafana and Egypt ended in a 0-1 defeat for South Africa in an Africa Cup of Nations Group B match in Morocco in December 2025. Mohamed Salah scored the only goal from the penalty spot in the 45th minute after referee Pacifique Ndabihawenimana consulted VAR and awarded the penalty. The match was incident-riddled, featuring a red card for Mohamed Hany after a second yellow for a tackle on Teboho Mokoena, and a second VAR consultation for a potential handball by Yasser Ibrahim that did not result in a penalty.
What have the officials said about the fixture?
SAFA President Dr Danny Jordaan commented: "Matches against Egypt are always tough and we do not expect anything less in this latest installment." Egyptian Football Association President Hany Abo Rida added: "The match between Bafana Bafana and Egypt will be brotherhood." The match was reported by www.safa.net.
The South Africa national team will wrap up their September assignments with this match against Egypt on 4 October 2026, before turning focus to future qualifiers.
