Pitso Mosimane’s third spell in charge of South Africa begins with a key 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Guinea at Orlando Stadium. The match on Saturday, 26 September marks the start of the Group D campaign and the coach's first competitive game since returning to lead Bafana Bafana.
Mosimane, 62, takes over a side that sits second in their World Cup group with four points from three matches. Their recent form has been mixed, with the sequence of results reading loss, win, draw, draw, loss from the last five outings. The immediate task is clear. "His immediate challenge, however, is straightforward: qualify for AFCON 2027," Mosimane said.
The coach has selected a provisional squad of 35 players for the opening qualifier. Captain Ronwen Williams is expected to lead the side from between the posts. Mosimane has also brought in Morena Ramoreboli as his assistant coach, adding local expertise to his technical team. Fans can view the full provisional selection and track any updates on the official squad page.
This period is a quick turnaround from the World Cup effort, where South Africa reached the knockout stages earlier this year. Integrating that experience with the new qualifying objective will be key for Mosimane and his staff.
The returning manager brings a formidable continental pedigree. He famously led Mamelodi Sundowns to CAF Champions League glory in 2016 before achieving back-to-back titles with Egyptian giants Al Ahly in 2020 and 2021. CAF records confirm he has won the premier club competition three times, making him one of the most successful coaches on the continent in recent years.
That track record is a major reason for his reappointment, with the South African Football Association hoping his know-how can secure a smooth passage to the 2027 finals.
South Africa have been drawn in Group D alongside Guinea for the 2027 qualifiers. The tournament will be co-hosted by Kenya, who qualify automatically as hosts. The match at the 40,000-capacity Orlando Stadium in Soweto provides a significant home advantage to start the campaign.
Success in these qualifiers is the absolute priority for the new era. The team's standings in World Cup qualifying show they can compete, but consistency will be vital across two concurrent campaigns.
All focus now shifts to 26 September and the visit of Guinea. It represents a direct opportunity for Mosimane to stamp his authority and for Bafana Bafana to build positive momentum. The match is the next fixture on the calendar, and supporters can find the full schedule of upcoming games on the fixtures page. The team will be looking to improve on a recent home record that saw them narrowly lose 1-0 to Canada in late June.
