Pitso Mosimane Names Final Bafana Bafana Squad For 2027 AFCON Qualifiers

Bafana Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane has named his final 30-man squad for the upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers as the new head coach begins his tenure with a demanding international schedule. Mosimane took over from Hugo Broos earlier this month and initially announced a preliminary selection shortly after his appointment. He has now reduced that group to 30 players who will represent South Africa in the opening stages of the AFCON qualifying campaign. The squad includes several players who were regular selections under Broos, while a number of new faces have also been brought into the national team setup. Mosimane will now prepare his players for two important qualifiers before Bafana face Egypt in an international friendly in October.

Several familiar names have retained their places after featuring regularly for Bafana during the previous coaching regime. Captain Ronwen Williams remains among the goalkeeping options alongside Sipho Chaine and Ricardo Goss. The defensive group includes established internationals such as Aubrey Modiba and Thapelo Morena, while Nkosinathi Sibisi and other younger options add further depth. Teboho Mokoena remains part of the midfield group, while forwards such as Iqraam Rayners and Oswin Appollis have also been selected. Their continued inclusion gives Mosimane a core of players with previous international experience as he begins shaping the squad around his own plans.

The final squad also contains several players who will be looking to make their mark under the new coach. Puso Dithejane, Lebogang Maboe, Cassius Mailula and Tashreeq Matthews are among the players included in the 30-man selection. Their inclusion provides Mosimane with additional options as he assesses the squad during his first competitive assignments in charge. The coach has combined experienced internationals with players who can offer different qualities across the midfield and attacking departments. The upcoming qualifiers will give those players an opportunity to establish themselves within the new national team setup.

Bafana Bafana will begin their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign on 26 September when they face Guinea at Orlando Stadium. Playing the opening qualifier on home soil gives South Africa an immediate opportunity to begin the campaign with a positive result. Four days later, the team will travel to face Eritrea in their second qualifying match. The short turnaround between the two fixtures means Mosimane will have to manage his squad carefully. Player recovery, rotation and tactical preparation could all become important as Bafana attempt to navigate their first two competitive matches under the new coach.

The squad includes three goalkeepers, with Williams, Chaine and Goss selected for the international window. The defensive department contains a mixture of established players and younger names, including Samukele Kabini, Fawaaz Basadien, Kamogelo Sebelebele, Thabang Matuludi and Olwethu Makhanya. Khulumani Ndamane, Ime Okon and Lebone Seema also form part of the defensive group alongside Modiba, Morena and Sibisi. In midfield, Mosimane has selected Mokoena, Maboe, Sphephelo Sithole, Bathusi Aubaas and Brooklyn Poggenpoel. The composition of the squad gives the coach several options when deciding how to approach the two qualifiers.

The forward group contains a mixture of experience and younger attacking talent. Rayners is included alongside Yanela Mbuthuma, Mailula, Appollis, Dithejane and Matthews. Relebohile Mofokeng, Themba Zwane, Thapelo Maseko, Luther Singh and Shandre Campbell complete the attacking selection. Zwane provides significant international experience within a group that also includes several younger players seeking to establish themselves at senior level. Mosimane will have several different attacking profiles available as he prepares for opponents who could require different tactical approaches.

The decision to name a 30-man squad also gives Mosimane enough depth to manage the demands of the international window. Injuries, suspensions and changes in player condition can affect a national team squad quickly, particularly when two competitive fixtures take place only four days apart. The coach will need to monitor his players closely once they report for camp. The opening match against Guinea will provide the first competitive indication of how Mosimane intends to organise his team. The subsequent trip to face Eritrea will then test how effectively Bafana can adapt to a different opponent and environment.

South Africa’s schedule does not end with the two AFCON qualifiers. Bafana are also scheduled to face Egypt in a friendly in Cairo on 4 October. The match will provide Mosimane with another opportunity to assess his squad and work on his plans after the opening qualifiers. A friendly against another established African football nation can also give the coach additional time to evaluate players who may not receive as many minutes during the competitive fixtures. For the selected players, the October match could therefore form part of the wider process of establishing themselves under Mosimane.

Mosimane’s appointment has brought a new chapter for Bafana Bafana after Broos’ time in charge. The final squad indicates that the new coach has retained a number of players familiar with international football while also introducing several names into his plans. His first competitive matches will provide an early test of how quickly the players can adapt to his methods and expectations. The qualifiers against Guinea and Eritrea will also begin South Africa’s route towards the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. With the squad now confirmed, attention turns to the players reporting for duty and preparing for the start of the qualifying campaign.

Bafana Bafana’s 30-man squad for the upcoming international fixtures consists of Ronwen Williams, Sipho Chaine and Ricardo Goss as the goalkeepers. The defenders are Aubrey Modiba, Samukele Kabini, Fawaaz Basadien, Kamogelo Sebelebele, Thapelo Morena, Thabang Matuludi, Olwethu Makhanya, Khulumani Ndamane, Ime Okon, Lebone Seema and Nkosinathi Sibisi. The midfielders are Teboho Mokoena, Lebogang Maboe, Sphephelo Sithole, Bathusi Aubaas and Brooklyn Poggenpoel. The forwards are Iqraam Rayners, Yanela Mbuthuma, Cassius Mailula, Oswin Appollis, Puso Dithejane, Tashreeq Matthews, Relebohile Mofokeng, Themba Zwane, Thapelo Maseko, Luther Singh and Shandre Campbell. With the final selection confirmed, Mosimane can now focus on preparing Bafana for their opening AFCON qualifier against Guinea on 26 September and the subsequent trip to face Eritrea.