Bafana Bafana: Pitso Mosimane Announces Final Squad for AFCON Qualifiers
by Devesh Jaganath | by Devesh Jaganath
Mosimane Retains World Cup Core for AFCON Qualifiers
South Africa’s new national team head coach Pitso Mosimane has announced his final 30-man squad for Bafana Bafana’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers, which we will be covering in our AFCON 2027 predictions.
Two weeks ago, Mosimane selected his preliminary squad of 35 players, but he has now trimmed that down to 30 players. The final cut features a strong core of the team that made a historic run to the knockout stage at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Bafana have been drawn into Group D for the upcoming qualifiers alongside Guinea, Eritrea, and Kenya. They will play two matches this month, hosting Guinea at the Orlando Stadium on September 26 before travelling to Cairo to face Eritrea. Discussing his final selection, Mosimane said:
“We have reduced the squad from 35 to 30 players, not an easy thing to do. We had to do our homework, who we called. But you must also understand why we couldn’t call all the players. Two qualifiers, one friendly. Everyone understands the importance of the qualifiers."
Before returning to their clubs, Bafana Bafana will also take on Egypt in an international friendly at the Cairo International Stadium on October 4, a fixture Mosimane believes will provide another important test for his squad ahead of the continental competition.
Bafana Bafana Confirmed Squad for 2027 AFCON
Mosimane has opted against a complete overhaul of the squad he inherited from former head coach Hugo Broos, with the current lineup featuring the majority of the group that took South Africa to the knockout stage at the 2026 World Cup.
Five players were ultimately ruled out of the squad due to injury, while the likes of Fawaaz Basadien, Bathusi Aubaas, Brooklyn Poggenpoel, Tashreeq Mathews, Luther Singh, and highly-rated Shandre Campbell have all earned call-ups.
