Bafana Bafana fixtures: Three matches in nine days

Bafana Bafana’s newly reappointed coach will begin his second full stint in charge with a crucial 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying clash against Guinea before travelling to Egypt for two matches in the space of four days.

Mosimane’s squad will be tested for both quality and depth as they attempt to navigate three very different fixtures across nine days.

PITSO MOSIMANE’S BAFANA BAFANA START WITH GUINEA

The first test comes on Saturday, 26 September when South Africa host Guinea at Orlando Amstel Arena in Johannesburg.

The match marks the beginning of Bafana’s Group D AFCON qualification campaign, with Mosimane naming a 30-man squad for the congested window.

South Africa have faced Guinea three times previously, recording one win, one draw and one defeat. Their most recent meeting ended in a 2-1 Bafana victory during the 2025 African Nations Championship.

Players such as Teboho Mokoena and Themba Zwane will be among those expected to provide experience as Mosimane looks to get his second spell off to a positive start.

However, the Guinea clash is only the beginning.

ERITREA THEN EGYPT

Just four days later, Bafana will be back in action against Eritrea on Wednesday, 30 September.

Despite being listed as the away side, the match will take place at Cairo’s Al-Salam Stadium because Eritrea does not currently have a venue that meets international requirements.

It will also be the first-ever official international meeting between South Africa and Eritrea.

That makes the fixture particularly interesting, but the biggest challenge could come from the turnaround. Bafana will have to manage travel, recovery and squad rotation before immediately preparing for another match.

The nine-day schedule then ends with a heavyweight friendly against Egypt on Sunday, 4 October at the Cairo International Stadium.

South Africa have a strong historical record against the Pharaohs, winning eight of their 15 previous meetings, alongside two draws and five defeats.

However, Egypt won the most recent competitive meeting 1-0 at the 2025 AFCON. For Mosimane, the upcoming window therefore represents much more than three matches.

It will test how quickly his squad can adapt, recover and maintain its level while moving between AFCON qualification and a high-profile international friendly.

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM THESE MATCHES?

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