2027 AFCON Qualifiers: Benni McCarthy brings Kenya to Johannesburg on November 13, 2026

The South African Football Association (SAFA) announced on October 16, 2026, that Bafana Bafana will face Kenya on Friday, November 13, 2026, at 6:00 PM at the Orlando Amstel Arena in Johannesburg, for the third matchday of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers. The return leg will be played four days later, on Tuesday, November 17, in Nairobi.

This double-header is worth much more than a simple fixture on the calendar. On the Kenyan bench sits Benni McCarthy, the all-time top scorer in South African national team history, who will return to his home country for the first time as an opposing manager. Opposite him, Pitso Mosimane, the most decorated coach on the continent in recent years, will defend the Bafana colors at home before going to challenge him on his own turf.

South Africa leads Group D

The South Africans approach these two matches from a position of strength. According to SAFA, they lead Group D after two victories in September 2026: 2-1 against Guinea in Johannesburg, then 5-0 against Eritrea, a match relocated to Egypt. Africa Radio specifies that the team had six points at the time, five more than Eritrea.

The face of this team has a name: Relebohile Mofokeng. The 21-year-old striker, who moved from South Africa to Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, scored a brace against Eritrea, in the 19th minute and just before the break, after having already made an impact in the match against Guinea, reports Africa Radio. SAFA also mentions a 1-0 success achieved in Cairo against Egypt, scheduled as a friendly match in early October 2026.

Mosimane succeeded Hugo Broos, who retired after leading South Africa to the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup and to the podium of the 2023 AFCON. The former Mamelodi Sundowns tactician, winner of the African Champions League in 2016, is set to unveil a preliminary squad list in the coming days, according to SAFA, which places Bafana at 48th in the world and 10th in Africa.

Tickets at 100 rand to fill Orlando

The federation has set ticket prices at 100 rand for adults and 40 rand for children aged 5 to 12, sold via Ticketpro, with children's tickets required to be purchased with at least one adult ticket. Stadium gates will open at 3:00 PM.

Kenya, for its part, is playing a double game. As a co-host of the 2027 AFCON with Tanzania and Uganda, they want to arrive at the tournament with a competitive team, rather than one simply qualified by virtue of their host status. For McCarthy, beating South Africa in Johannesburg would be a spectacular way to establish the Harambee Stars on the continental stage before hosting the continent.