Bafana Bafana are back in action this month as they begin the road to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations finals, writes Nick Said.
Bafana Bafana begin their road to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania this month as a new post-World Cup era begins for the national side.
They have been drawn in a pool they will expect to qualify from, though it will not be easy with one team having already booked their place at the finals.
Bafana have been drawn with co-hosts Kenya, led by South Africa’s record goalscorer in international football, Benni McCarthy, a difficult Guinea side and minnows Eritrea.
With Kenya assured of a place, it means Bafana, Guinea and Eritrea are in a straight shoot-out for the other spot from the pool.
The qualifiers will take place in three FIFA international windows – 21 September to 6 October, 9 to 17 November and 22 to 30 March 2027.
The 24 teams that qualify will compete in the finals, which are scheduled to take place from 19 June to 17 July next year.
Bafana qualified for the last two editions, earning a bronze medal at the 2023 finals but going out in the round of 16 in Morocco earlier this year.
They have not earned their place at three successive finals since 20042008, such has been the patchy history of the side over the last two decades.
Expanding the competition from 16 to 24 teams has helped the current side. Here is a look at their three qualification group opponents.
KENYA
World ranking (June 2026): 109
Previous AFCON appearances: 6 – last in 2019
Best finish: Group Stage (six times) Kenya are led by former Bafana star McCarthy, which will add spice to the fixtures they play, even if, for the East African side, they are nothing more than preparation games to get them ready for the finals.
There is a South African thread that runs through their technical team, with Vasili Manousakis, who was an assistant coach with McCarthy at Cape Town City and AmaZulu, also involved. Former Bafana gloveman Moeneeb Josephs is also the goalkeeper coach and there are various other South Africans involved on the fitness and analyst side.
Certainly, they will know all about Bafana Bafana. Kenya have often been viewed as a country packed with potential, but they never seem quite able to get it together.
Their highest-ever ranking was 68 in the world in 2008, and the recent retirement of stalwarts like Victor Wanyama will not have helped, though he had been out of the national frame for some time.
They have a few players plying their trade in the lower leagues in England and around Europe, but not really what you would call household names.
They will be a tricky opponent and fired up to do well against Bafana, who they have met four times before. South Africa have won three of those to go with one draw.
GUINEA
World ranking (June 2026): 81
Previous AFCON appearances: 14 – last in 2023
Best finish: Runner-up (1976) Guinea did not qualify for the last finals in Morocco but were at the three prior to that and are a dangerous side.
They will likely be the most serious challengers to Bafana, who do not have a promising record against the West African team.
They have clashed on four previous occasions since their first meeting in 2006, and Guinea have won two of those to go with a draw and a single Bafana victory.
And that single Bafana success was in the African Nations Championship finals last year, a tournament for home-grown players only, so you can question whether it really even counts.
The biggest dangerman for the Guineans is no doubt Borussia Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy (below), who is one of the best forwards in the Bundesliga.
They have several players in France and Spain, and even defender Mamady Cissé, who plays for Atlético Mineiro in Brazil. They are coached by the Portuguese Paulo Duarte, who does not have a great record against Bafana, having faced them four times before while with Burkina Faso and Gabon. Bafana have won three of those games and drawn one, scoring 10 goals in the process.
ERITREA
World ranking (June 2026): 184
Previous AFCON appearances: None
Best finish: None Eritrea have never been to the Africa Cup of Nations before and had largely withdrawn from international football until recently.
But they entered the 2027 qualifiers and defeated Eswatini over two legs to book a place in the group stages. They are certainly the minnows in the pool, but will be unknowns for all teams and that gives them a slight edge.
Their talisman is undoubtedly Ali Suleiman, who plays for Kahrabaa Ismailia in the Egyptian league and was actually born in Saudi Arabia.
He scored three goals for the side against Eswatini and is a consummate finisher when given the chance. The team is coached by the Egyptian Hesham Yakan, who was a stalwart defender for Zamalek back in the day and also played 64 times for the Egyptian national team.
Bafana Bafana have never faced Eritrea in international football and, while they will expect to win both matches, neither game will be a given.
