By REGINALD KANYANE
2 September 2026 – The South African Football Association (SAFA) has confirmed the highly decorated Pitso Mosimane as the new Bafana Bafana coach. The revered Mosimane – who has won multiple titles during an illustrious career – replaces Belgian Hugo Broos, who stepped down on 31 July 2026, after five years at the helm weeks after leading the South African senior men’s national team to the second round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The three-time CAF Champions League-winning coach (he has won continental football’s biggest club title with Mamelodi Sundowns and twice with Egyptian side Al Ahly) will be joined by Kabelo Rangoaga and Musi Matlaba on the technical team. More announcements will be made in the coming days as Bafana Bafana starts to take shape.
SAFA President Dr Danny Jordaan welcomed Mosimane back to SAFA House as he began his journey as the Bafana Bafana coach.
“For South African football and for our national team, Bafana Bafana, there are three major competitions that we will face. The first is the Africa Cup of Nations. The second, CAF will introduce a new competition called the African Nations League,” the SAFA President said.
“The old CHAN tournament will now be scrapped, but in its place, there will be a competition called the Nations League, which is a major competition and will be run over two years. We hope that we make a bid to host the final of the Nations League,” he said.
Jordaan said then finally in 2030, is the major objective for SAFA and that is the 2030 World Cup which will be held in Portugal, Spain and Morocco. He further said it’s the second time that there will be a World Cup competition on the African continent (the first was in 2010 in South Africa) and it will of course be a huge honour for us as previous hosts to participate in Africa’s second World Cup.
“Those are the main areas of focus and where we want Bafana Bafana to go. Then you of course have the COSAFA Cup which is in our view an opportunity for the next level of players to graduate into international competitions,” he added.
Mosimane: “We may come from different places, speak different languages, support rival clubs and have different aspirations or arguments, but when that national anthem plays, those differences fall away.
“And when Bafana Bafana takes to the field, we have an opportunity to make those words in the anthem, to make them real – One South Africa, behind one team. I want to thank the President (Dr Jordaan) and the leadership of SAFA for entrusting me with this big task and responsibility.”
He said he also wants to acknowledge Coach Hugo Broos, his technical team and more importantly the players who have travelled the journey with him. Mosimane said the team has made important strides and given South Africa the reason to believe again.
“We need to believe again. In doing so, it has set a new benchmark for Bafana Bafana, and we know where the benchmark is. My responsibility is to build on that foundation, to take the team forward and raise the standard even further,” he said.
Broos congratulated his successor following the confirmation of Mosimane’s appointment.
“President, congratulations to the new Bafana Bafana coach. I wish the coach and SAFA all the luck and success in the next few months,” he said from Belgium.
SAFA CEO Lydia Monyepao said: “We believe that your achievements speak for themselves. You are without exaggeration one of the most successful coaches South Africa has ever produced. Your remarkable success in the PSL, in Egypt, in Saudi Arabia and everywhere you have gone, they speak for themselves.
“We are delighted to have you back home. The work starts now because we have an important AFCON campaign ahead of us and our preparations start immediately. Actually, as soon as yesterday.”
Mosimane has hit the ground running as Bafana Bafana open their CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2027 account when they host Guinea in a home qualifier on 26 September 2026. The venue will be announced in the coming days.
The South African senior men’s national team will then travel to face Eritrea away on 30 September 2026. The next AFCON tournament takes place from 19 June to 17 July 2027, and will be held in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
The coach will announce a preliminary squad in the coming days as he quickly familiarises himself with his new surroundings.
The Guardian 