Bafana Bafana to host Benni McCarthy’s Kenya in Johannesburg AFCON qualifier

Bafana Bafana will face Benni McCarthy’s Kenya at Orlando Amstel Arena in Johannesburg next month in the opening match of a back-to-back 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying tie.

South Africa will welcome the Harambee Stars on Friday, November 13, with kick-off scheduled for 6pm. The return fixture will take place in Nairobi on Tuesday, November 17.

The two matches will see McCarthy come up against his home country for the first time since becoming Kenya head coach. He will face South Africa manager Pitso Mosimane, who previously worked with McCarthy when the former striker represented the national team.

McCarthy’s side will attempt to halt Bafana Bafana’s impressive start to Group D, while Mosimane’s team will be seeking to preserve their place at the top of the standings.

South Africa won both of their opening qualifiers in September. They began with a 2–1 victory against Guinea in Johannesburg and followed that with a convincing 5–0 win over Eritrea in Cairo.

Bafana Bafana also recorded a 1–0 friendly victory against Egypt during the same international window, giving them three wins from three matches.

That sequence of results has lifted South Africa to 48th in the latest FIFA World Rankings. They are currently ranked 10th among African nations.

The meetings with Kenya are expected to play an important role in determining the shape of Group D as the qualifying campaign develops. With both sides facing each other twice within four days, the results could have a significant effect on the early standings.

Mosimane is expected to name his preliminary squad in the coming days, allowing South Africa to begin preparations for the two fixtures.

The November double-header will mark McCarthy’s return to South African soil in opposition colours, while Mosimane will aim to extend the winning start made by Bafana Bafana under his leadership.