Bafana Bafana have begun assembling in Johannesburg as preparations intensify for South Africa’s opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Guinea.
The national team is entering a new chapter under returning head coach Pitso Mosimane, who is preparing for his first competitive fixture since taking charge for a third spell.
South Africa will host Guinea at Orlando Stadium on Saturday, 26 September, with the Group D encounter marking the start of Bafana’s qualification campaign. CAF lists kick-off at 16:00 GMT.
Overseas players set to join camp
The locally based members of the squad have started reporting for camp, while players based overseas are expected to join the group as preparations continue.
Mosimane has selected a 30-man squad for the international window, retaining much of the core group that represented South Africa at the 2026 FIFA World Cup while also introducing five players receiving their first senior call-ups.
The new faces are Lebone Seema, Brooklyn Poggenpoel, Yanela Mbuthuma, Puso Dithejane and Tashreeq Matthews.
There are also recalls for players such as Fawaaz Basadien, Lebohang Maboe, Cassius Mailula and Luther Singh.
Mosimane prepares for first competitive test
The Guinea match represents the first competitive examination of Mosimane’s latest Bafana Bafana tenure.
The coach has previously explained that form, experience, player availability and injuries influenced his selection decisions.
South Africa will face a Guinea side that includes Borussia Dortmund forward Serhou Guirassy and midfielder Ilaix Moriba, who has returned to the national setup.
The fixture carries added significance because Kenya are automatically qualified as one of the AFCON 2027 co-hosts. As a result, only the highest-ranked team outside Kenya in Group D will advance to the finals.
Bafana’s busy international window
After the Guinea clash, South Africa will travel to Cairo to face Eritrea on 30 September in their second Group D qualifier.
Bafana will then remain in Egypt for an international friendly against the hosts on 4 October, giving Mosimane another opportunity to assess his squad.
Bafana Bafana’s upcoming fixtures
2027 AFCON qualifiers
- South Africa vs Guinea — 26 September
- Eritrea vs South Africa — 30 September
International friendly
- Egypt vs South Africa — 4 October
With the squad now coming together in Johannesburg, attention turns to Mosimane’s team selection and the opening challenge against Guinea.
The new Bafana era is officially moving from preparation to competitive action.
