Pitso Mosimane confirmed as new Bafana Bafana head coach

South African Football Association (SAFA) president Danny Jordaan has confirmed Pitso Mosimane as the new Bafana Bafana coach, ending weeks of speculation over who would succeed Hugo Broos.

Mosimane returns to the Bafana Bafana hot seat after Broos’ five-year spell in charge came to an end. Broos had helped transform the South Africa team from outsiders into genuine contenders during his time as head coach.

His departure comes after a particularly strong finish to his tenure. Broos guided Bafana Bafana to a historic place in the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, held across the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Jordaan made the announcement on Tuesday, formally bringing Mosimane back into the role after the uncertainty surrounding the appointment. The confirmation gives the new coach little time to prepare before his first major task begins.

Bafana Bafana are scheduled to report for camp at the end of the month, when preparations will begin for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign. The tournament will be hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

South Africa will begin their qualifying programme with two matches at the end of the month. They are due to face Guinea at home before travelling to play Eritrea away.

The timing of Mosimane’s appointment means he must quickly move from confirmation to preparation, with the opening fixtures already approaching. His return follows a period in which the national side made significant progress under Broos, culminating in their run to the knockout phase of the World Cup.

Broos’ five years in charge ended with Bafana Bafana’s status considerably improved from the position they occupied when he took over. The team had been regarded as no-hopers, but his work helped establish them as contenders before the historic World Cup campaign.

Mosimane now takes responsibility for continuing that progress, beginning with the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. His immediate focus will be the squad’s end-of-month camp and the opening home match against Guinea, followed by the away fixture against Eritrea.

The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will be staged in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, while South Africa’s qualification campaign starts with those two matches against Guinea and Eritrea.

His appointment was confirmed by SAFA on Tuesday after several weeks of speculation. The announcement marks Mosimane’s return to the Bafana Bafana position and formally concludes Broos’ time as head coach.

The new coach’s first challenge is therefore close at hand: prepare Bafana Bafana for their opening qualifiers while taking charge of a side that has recently reached the knockout stage of a World Cup and moved from being viewed as outsiders to competing among the stronger teams.