AFCON 2027: Pitso Mosimane returns to the South Africa bench against Guinea

South Africa hosts Guinea at the Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg this Saturday, September 26, 2026, to close out the first matchday of Group D in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, with a familiar face on the Bafana Bafana bench: Pitso Mosimane, according to Africa Top Sports.

Mosimane, a third term that begins immediately

For the former Al Ahly coach, who won the African Champions League with the Cairo club, this marks his third stint at the helm of the South African national team. He has integrated five new players into his squad for this international window and says he understands the weight of the role: "It is bigger than Pitso Mosimane," he stated, as quoted by Bénin Web TV. He will rely on goalkeeper and captain Ronwen Williams, midfielder Teboho Mokoena, and attackers Relebohile Mofokeng and Themba Zwane.

Opposite them, Paulo Duarte's Syli National arrives shorthanded. Guinea is without Naby Keïta, Mohamed Mady Camara, Morgan Guilavogui, and Mohamed Bayo, according to Africa Top Sports. Striker Serhou Guirassy remains their primary weapon, supported by Ilaix Moriba, Madiou Keïta, and Saïdou Sow.

The stakes are high: Kenya, co-host of AFCON 2027, has already qualified automatically. South Africa, Guinea, and Eritrea are therefore competing for a single spot, and every point will count double in this tight arithmetic.

In Nairobi, weakened Harambee Stars

The other match in the group pits Kenya against Eritrea at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi at 4 p.m. local time. The Kenyans arrive weakened: their captain Michael Olunga is injured, while Collins Sichenje and Joseph Okumu are long-term absentees. Their coach, South African Benni McCarthy, has publicly denounced off-field difficulties and unpaid player allowances, reports SportPesa Kenya—a reminder that a host country's preparation also takes place in the offices of its federation.

On the pitch, Eritrea is a bogey team for Kenya despite an overall record that favors the Harambee Stars (six wins, one draw, and three losses in ten meetings). The Eritreans won their two previous AFCON qualifying duels and triumphed 4-1 in the 2019 CECAFA semi-finals. The last Kenyan victory against them dates back to December 2003, a 3-2 win in the CECAFA Cup in Sudan, according to SportPesa Kenya.

The rest of Group D

The schedule moves quickly: Eritrea faces South Africa on September 30, 2026, in Cairo on neutral ground, and Kenya travels to Guinea on October 1. The final two matches, Kenya vs. South Africa and Guinea vs. Eritrea, are scheduled for November 11, 2026.