Hugo Broos: SAFA denies offering Bafana Bafana coach new one-year deal

The South African Football Association (SAFA) has strongly denied reports that Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has been handed a new one-year contract extension.

On Tuesday, South Africa’s public broadcaster reported that “Broos has been offered a one-year extension to his contract” with a view to keeping the Belgian in charge until after next year’s Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).

The claim fuelled speculation over the 72-year-old’s future, especially after he recently suggested in an interview in his native Belgium that his time as national team coach was coming to an end.

But in a sharply worded statement issued a day later, SAFA rejected the reports as “false, unfounded and misleading”, insisting that no new deal has been offered and that Broos remains under his existing agreement, which runs until the end of July 2026.

SAFA pushes back against contract rumours

SAFA said it had “learnt with concern” of reports and rumours being circulated by “respected media houses” alleging that Broos had already been offered or issued with an additional one-year contract.

“SAFA has learnt with concern of reports and rumours being circulated by respected media houses alleging that Bafana Bafana Head Coach Hugo Broos has been offered or issued with a one-year contract extension,” the association stated.

“SAFA wishes to categorically state that these reports are false, unfounded and misleading.”

The governing body stressed that no contract – for Broos or for any other coach – had been tabled for the Bafana Bafana job at this stage.

“To set the record straight, SAFA has not issued any contract to any coach in respect of the Bafana Bafana head coach position. Coach Hugo Broos remains under contract with SAFA until the end of July 2026, in accordance with his existing agreement,” the statement continued.

Governance process ‘not yet concluded’

SAFA added that internal deliberations over the future of the national team’s technical set-up were still under way and that no formal decisions had been made.

“The Association’s governance processes regarding the Bafana Bafana technical team have not yet been concluded. Therefore no decision has been taken, and no contract has been issued or approved by the National Executive Committee.”

The intervention from SAFA follows days of mixed signals over Broos’s future.

Reports of a new one-year extension appeared to contradict the coach’s own recent comments to media in Belgium, in which he indicated that his spell in charge of the South African national side was effectively over.

SAFA had already moved earlier in the week to distance itself from those remarks, downplaying suggestions that his departure was imminent.

Future of Bafana Bafana bench remains unclear

Broos, appointed in 2021, has overseen a period of improvement for Bafana Bafana, including a strong showing at the most recent Africa Cup of Nations, which enhanced his standing among many South African supporters.

However, with his current deal set to expire in July 2026 and no extension yet agreed, uncertainty persists over who will lead the team through upcoming Afcon and FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

SAFA’s latest statement makes clear that any decision on the national team coach will only come after the completion of its formal governance procedures and approval by its National Executive Committee.

Until then, Broos remains under contract and, officially at least, in charge of Bafana Bafana.