Pitso Mosimane Returns to Lead South Africa in AFCON 2027 Qualifiers

The South African Football Association has turned back to a familiar figure at a crucial moment, handing the national team to Pitso Mosimane just weeks before the start of qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

Hugo Broos makes way for one of the most decorated coaches in African football. Mosimane steps in with a résumé that few on the continent can match: 20 trophies collected across a relentless, title-chasing career.

Three of those crowns came on the biggest club stage in Africa. He lifted the CAF Champions League once with Mamelodi Sundowns, then twice with Egyptian giants Al Ahly, building a reputation as a coach who not only wins, but does so under intense pressure and expectation.

At home, his dominance has been just as clear. Mosimane has five South African league titles to his name, the benchmark for modern coaching success in the country. His ambition then took him abroad, with spells at Al Ahli Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, Al Wahda in the UAE and Abha in Saudi Arabia, before his most recent stop at Esteghlal in Iran.

The decision to bring him back now is no coincidence. South Africa are entering a defining stretch, with AFCON 2027 qualification looming and expectations sharpened by years of frustration on the continental stage. The federation has opted for experience, authority and a proven winner to steer the side through a demanding campaign.

Upcoming Matches

The schedule gives Mosimane no easing-in period. His second spell at the helm begins against Guinea on 26 September. Four days later, Eritrea await. Then come the home-and-away clashes with Kenya in November, fixtures that could set the tone not just for the qualifying group, but for the entire Mosimane era.

For South Africa, this is more than a coaching change. It is a bet that a serial winner can turn potential into presence at the next Africa Cup of Nations.