Pitso Mosimane named South Africa head coach in long-awaited return

The South African Football Association has officially appointed Pitso Mosimane as Bafana Bafana head coach, bringing the 62-year-old back to the national team more than 14 years after his first spell in charge ended.

Mosimane has signed a five-year contract and succeeds Belgian coach Hugo Broos, who guided South Africa through a successful five-year period that ended with qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

His appointment had been widely expected after SAFA’s National Executive Committee backed him for the role almost a month ago. Contract negotiations delayed the formal announcement, but the association confirmed Mosimane’s return on Tuesday.

The former SuperSport United, Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly manager will begin work with Musi Matlaba and Kabelo Rangoaga included in his technical team. Mosimane is still looking to appoint another assistant coach and a goalkeeper coach as he finalises his backroom staff.

The new head coach is returning to familiar territory. He represented South Africa as a player before moving into coaching and later serving as an assistant to Joel Santana and Carlos Alberto Parreira.

Mosimane was part of the technical set-up that helped prepare Bafana Bafana for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which was held in South Africa. He succeeded Parreira as national-team head coach in July 2010.

That first tenure proved difficult. South Africa failed to qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations after a dramatic misunderstanding in their final qualifying match against Sierra Leone.

Bafana Bafana believed a draw would be enough to secure their place in the tournament and played for a goalless result. However, once the qualification tie-breakers were applied, the draw left South Africa out of the competition in one of the most infamous episodes in the team’s history.

Mosimane remained in the job for several more months, but his tenure ended in June 2012 after a 1-1 home draw with Ethiopia in South Africa’s opening qualifier for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

He had taken charge of 16 matches since his appointment in July 2010, winning six, drawing seven and losing three. Bafana Bafana had also failed to win any of their final seven games under Mosimane.

His return comes after a significant transformation in his managerial career. Since leaving South Africa, Mosimane has built a substantial reputation across the continent and in the Middle East, adding major honours to his resume and establishing himself as one of African football’s most decorated coaches.

The appointment gives Mosimane the chance to reshape the final chapter of his relationship with Bafana Bafana. He returns not as the coach whose first spell ended amid disappointment, but as an experienced manager with a considerable trophy record behind him.

He will have little time to settle back into the role. His first competitive assignment is expected later this month, when South Africa begin their qualifying campaign for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

South Africa have been placed in Group D with Guinea, Eritrea and Kenya. The group also sets up a reunion with former Bafana Bafana striker Benni McCarthy, who is in charge of Kenya.

Bafana Bafana are scheduled to begin against Guinea in September, although the date and venue have yet to be confirmed. They will then face Eritrea in early October.

Mosimane’s side will meet Kenya home and away in a November double-header, with those matches potentially playing an important part in determining the eventual qualification outcome.