News24 | Fresh blood, familiar spine: Mosimane names 30-man Bafana squad for Afcon qualifiers

Bafana Bafana head coach Pitso Mosimane

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• Pitso Mosimane has named his final 30-man Bafana squad for the 2027 Afcon qualifiers.
• Bafana face Guinea and Eritrea before a friendly against Egypt.
• Mosimane retained the World Cup core while recalling several players and adding youth.
• For more soccer news, visit our dedicated section.

Bafana Bafana head coach Pitso Mosimane has named his final 30-man squad for South Africa’s opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, retaining the core of the team that competed at the recent FIFA World Cupp.

Mosimane initially selected a preliminary group of 35 players two weeks ago but has now trimmed that number ahead of the matches that will mark the beginning of his second spell as permanent national team coach.

South Africa have been drawn in Group D alongside Guinea, Eritrea and Kenya, with the first two qualifiers arriving in quick succession later this month.

Bafana host Guinea at Orlando Stadium on 26 September before travelling to Eritrea on 30 September.

The upcoming Afcon, scheduled from 19 June to 17 July 2027, will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

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Mosimane’s side will then turn their attention to an international friendly against African heavyweights Egypt, a fixture the experienced coach believes will provide another important examination during his first camp back in charge.

“We have reduced the [squad from] 35 to 30 players, not an easy thing to do,” Mosimane stated.

“We had to do our homework, who we called, why we called. But you must also understand why we couldn’t call all the players.”

With qualification points on the line against Guinea and Eritrea, Mosimane acknowledged those matches will naturally take priority.

However, the former Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly coach is equally enthusiastic about testing his team against Egypt.

“Two qualifiers, one friendly. Everyone understands the importance of the qualifiers. But Egypt are also a big gun. It’s important to face the big guns.”

Mosimane has resisted the temptation to immediately overhaul the squad inherited from predecessor Hugo Broos.

Instead, his first selection points towards continuity, with the bulk of the group that represented South Africa at the 2026 World Cup remaining part of his plans.

Injuries have, nevertheless, forced several changes, while Mosimane has also opened the door for a younger generation to begin making its case.

Fawaz Basadien, Lebohang Maboe, Bathusi Aubaas, Brooklyn Poggenpoel, Yanela Mbuthuma, Cassius Mailula, Puso Dithejane, Tashreeq Matthews, Luther Singh, and Shandre Campbell are some of the players who drifted away under Broos but are now returning to the team.

“We kept the core of the World Cup team, but we have five players out due to injury, and we also want to give young players a chance.”

Bafana Bafana squad

SAFA Media

It leaves Mosimane attempting to strike an early balance between maintaining the foundations established under Broos and gradually introducing his own ideas and personnel.

For the 62-year-old, this is also familiar territory.

Mosimane previously worked with Bafana as an assistant before taking permanent charge in July 2010. His first tenure ended in June 2012 following a 1-1 World Cup qualifying draw against Ethiopia in Rustenburg.

That spell also included the painful failure to qualify for the 2012 Afcon after Bafana played for a draw against Sierra Leone in their final qualifier, mistakenly believing the result was enough to secure qualification.

Mosimane returns more than 14 years later with a vastly different coaching résumé.

His years away from Bafana transformed him into one of South Africa’s most decorated coaches, with major success at Sundowns followed by a trophy-laden spell at Egyptian giants Al Ahly and subsequent coaching assignments in the Middle East.

He also returns to the national team in a very different place.

Broos departed having overseen a significant period of progress, with Bafana carrying the experience and confidence gained from competing on the World Cup stage.

Mosimane’s first major task is therefore not necessarily to rebuild, but to keep that momentum moving while beginning to shape the team according to his own vision.