Orlando Stadium to host Pitso Mosimane’s Bafana Bafana return against Guinea

Pitso Mosimane will begin his second spell as Bafana Bafana coach at Orlando Stadium, where South Africa will face Guinea in their opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match on 26 September.

The fixture will be Mosimane’s first game in charge since returning to the national team role. South Africa will host Guinea, known as the National Elephants, in a match that marks the start of their campaign to reach the next Africa Cup of Nations.

The tournament will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania under the Pamoja banner.

Bafana Bafana will then travel to Egypt for their second qualifier, although Eritrea have moved their home fixture to Cairo. That match will be played at Al-Salam Stadium a few days after South Africa’s meeting with Guinea.

South Africa will remain in Egypt after the Eritrea game for an international friendly against the Pharaohs. The match is scheduled for 4 October and will be played at Cairo International Stadium.

The sequence of fixtures will provide Mosimane with an early opportunity to assess his squad after taking charge for a second time. His return has created considerable interest around the national team, with supporters set to see the coach begin his latest tenure in a competitive fixture at one of South Africa’s most recognisable football venues.

South African Football Association president Danny Jordaan urged supporters to attend the match in large numbers as the team starts what he described as a new era under Mosimane.

“We encourage families and fans to come in their numbers to support the team as we begin this new era under coach Pitso Mosimane,” said Safa president Danny Jordaan.

The coach is also expected to make further decisions about his technical team and squad before the two Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Mosimane is expected to announce his goalkeeper ahead of the matches, while a second assistant coach could also be confirmed before South Africa begin their qualifying campaign.

The opening fixture against Guinea at Orlando Stadium therefore carries significance beyond the result. It will be the first competitive test of Mosimane’s second stint, before Bafana Bafana travel to Cairo to face Eritrea and then play Egypt in a friendly.

The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying programme will gain momentum with those matches, as South Africa begin their bid to reach the tournament being staged jointly by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.