Bafana Bafana are together again in Johannesburg, and it marks a big moment — Pitso Mosimane’s first camp since returning as national coach. The squad reported for duty on Monday, with two 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and a friendly waiting for them over the September-October window.
Thirty players have been pulled together for the trip. First up are the AFCON qualifiers against Guinea and Eritrea, and then the window rounds off with a friendly against Egypt in Cairo. It’s Mosimane’s first competitive test since taking the reins for a second time, so there’s plenty of eyes on how it unfolds.
What’s on the schedule
The opener is against Guinea on Saturday, 26 September 2026, at the Orlando Amstel Arena in Soweto. A home crowd, a qualifier — a good way to start.
Four days after that, Bafana meet Eritrea on 30 September, this one over in Cairo, Egypt, with Eritrea listed as the away side. The team then stays put in Egypt to face the hosts in a friendly on 4 October at Cairo International Stadium.
| Match | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| South Africa vs Guinea | 26 September 2026 | Orlando Amstel Arena, Soweto |
| Eritrea vs South Africa | 30 September 2026 | Cairo, Egypt |
| Egypt vs South Africa | 4 October 2026 | Cairo International Stadium |
The Guinea and Eritrea games count towards the AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign. The Egypt match is a friendly.
Thirty names, some familiar, some fresh
Mosimane trimmed an initial 35 down to a final 30 for the window. There’s a good chunk of the group that turned out at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, mixed in with some new faces at senior level.
The usual leaders are there — captain Ronwen Williams, Teboho Mokoena, Themba Zwane, Iqraam Rayners, Oswin Appollis and Relebohile Mofokeng among them. And there are five players getting their first call-up under Mosimane: Lebone Seema, Brooklyn Poggenpoel, Yanela Mbuthuma, Puso Dithejane and Tashreeq Matthews.
The full squad
Goalkeepers: Ronwen Williams, Sipho Chaine, Ricardo Goss
Defenders: Aubrey Modiba, Samkelo Kabini, Fawaaz Basadien, Kamogelo Sebelebele, Thapelo Morena, Thabang Matuludi, Olwethu Makhanya, Khulumani Ndamane, Ime Okon, Lebone Seema, Nkosinathi Sibisi
Midfielders: Teboho Mokoena, Lebohang Maboe, Sphephelo Sithole, Bathusi Aubaas, Brooklyn Poggenpoel
Forwards: Iqraam Rayners, Yanela Mbuthuma, Cassius Mailula, Oswin Appollis, Puso Dithejane, Tashreeq Matthews, Relebohile Mofokeng, Themba Zwane, Thapelo Maseko, Luther Singh, Shandre Campbell
A full-on start for the new coach
Three matches in one window is no gentle easing-in. Mosimane gets competitive football against Guinea and Eritrea before the Egypt friendly rounds things off. The first two carry real weight for the 2027 AFCON qualifying push, while the Cairo friendly hands him one more look at his group before the window closes.
For the fans, though, all roads lead to that opening home qualifier against Guinea on 26 September, with the Eritrea clash following hard on its heels four days later.
Source and verification: The match dates, opponents, venues and squad information were checked against recent CAF, SAFA-related and reputable South African football reporting. CAF confirmed the 30-man squad and the Guinea, Eritrea and Egypt fixtures.
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Disclaimer: International fixtures, venues and squad selections can change for footballing, organisational or other reasons. Check the latest official information before making plans to attend a match.
