Jordaan sets 2030 World Cup qualification as Mosimane’s main Bafana Bafana target

South African Football Association (SAFA) president Danny Jordaan has made qualification for the 2030 FIFA World Cup the central objective of Pitso Mosimane’s return as Bafana Bafana coach.

Mosimane has been placed back in charge of the national team 14 years after leaving the role. His previous spell lasted about two years, during which South Africa failed to qualify for any major competition.

The former coach now inherits a team expected to build on the work of his predecessor by qualifying for major tournaments consistently and competing strongly whenever it reaches them.

Jordaan said SAFA would give Mosimane its full backing as he begins his second spell in charge.

“From this day, we will rally behind the coach. We will support the coach. The coach here, Pitso Mosimane, I’ve known him for many years. I’ve worked with and I look forward to renew our partnership and continue to work in the interest of South African football and for our national team,” Jordaan said at SAFA House on Tuesday morning.

Jordaan identified three major competitions as the focus of Bafana Bafana’s plans: the Africa Cup of Nations, a new African Nations League competition and the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

“ There are three major competitions Bafana will face. One, is the Africa Cup of Nations. Two, CAF will introduce a new competition called the African Nations League. You know the old CHAN tournament will now be scrapped. There won’t be CHAN again, but in its place, there will be a competition called the Nations League, which is a major competition and will run over two and we hope that we will make a bid to host the final of the Nations League. Then finally, in 2030, is themajor objective for SAFA and that is the 2030 World Cup which will be held in Portugal, Spain and Morocco. It’s a second time there will be a World Cup competition on the African continent and it of course be a huge honour as the previous host to participate in Africa’s second World Cup. Those are the main areas of focus and where we want Bafana to go.”

The quotation was delivered in response to the priorities SAFA has set for the national side under Mosimane. Jordaan also said the association hopes to bid to host the final of the African Nations League.

According to Jordaan, the new Nations League will replace the African Nations Championship (CHAN). He described it as a major competition that will run over two, although the full duration was not specified in his remarks.

The 2030 FIFA World Cup, to be staged in Portugal, Spain and Morocco, is regarded by SAFA as the biggest target of Mosimane’s second tenure. It will be the second time the tournament has been held on the African continent, following the 2010 edition in South Africa.

The Cosafa Cup will have a different purpose. Rather than being the main target, it will give Mosimane the chance to assess players who could progress into the senior international squad for more important competitions.

“Then we have the Cosafa Cup, which is in our view an opportunity for the next level of players to graduate into international competitions. Those are matters that we will leave to the coach. He will sort out the players he wants to see as borderline players to give an opportunity to breaking into international competitions and we will be in support of whatever he decides about that competition.”