“Pitso Mosimane has clarified that he did not personally dismiss members of Hugo Broos’ former Bafana Bafana technical staff, explaining that the previous backroom team departed as he assembled his own coaching structure ahead of South Africa’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign. With Bafana preparing to face Guinea at Orlando Amstel Arena on Saturday, 26 September, Mosimane is beginning his latest national-team tenure with immediate attention on tactical identity, squad continuity, injuries and the need to collect three points at home.”
South African football enters another significant moment on Saturday as Bafana Bafana begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign against Guinea at Orlando Amstel Arena in Soweto.
The match is particularly significant because it marks the competitive beginning of Pitso Mosimane’s latest spell as head coach of the national team. His return has generated considerable attention, not only because of his previous experience with Bafana, but also because he arrives after a period in which the national side achieved important progress under Hugo Broos.
The immediate challenge is therefore both practical and strategic. South Africa need to begin the qualification campaign positively, while Mosimane must simultaneously establish his own methods, technical staff and tactical approach.
One of the clearest signs of that transition has been the change in the coaching structure.
In a report published on 26 September, IOL quoted Mosimane explaining that he had not “sacked” the previous technical staff. Instead, the coach said the previous backroom members departed while he put together a technical team suited to his own approach.
That distinction is important because the change comes at the beginning of a new coaching cycle for Bafana.
Mosimane has inherited a squad that recently competed at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and he has indicated that he intends to retain much of the team’s established core rather than completely rebuild the national side. His task is consequently to introduce his ideas without unnecessarily disrupting the continuity created under Broos.
A new technical structure
Mosimane’s comments about the backroom staff provide an insight into how he wants to manage the transition.
Rather than attempting to reproduce the previous coaching setup, he has brought in his own technical personnel. Morena Ramoreboli has joined the staff as an assistant coach after his recent work with Botswana, adding another coach with international experience to the Bafana structure.
The change means that the players are now working under a different technical philosophy.
Mosimane has acknowledged that one of his immediate challenges is determining how best to use the players available to him. Speaking before the Guinea match, he discussed several possible formations, including 3-5-2, 3-4-3 and 4-2-3-1.
That uncertainty does not necessarily indicate a problem. Instead, it reflects the practical situation facing a coach taking over a national team shortly before competitive matches. Mosimane has had limited time to work with the players and must make decisions based on previous matches, current form, injuries and the characteristics of the opposition.
The Guinea match will therefore provide the first competitive indication of how much of Mosimane’s tactical thinking can immediately be transferred onto the field.
Bafana retain much of their established core
Although Mosimane is introducing a new technical structure, the squad itself contains many players who were part of South Africa’s recent international campaign.
The 30-man squad includes captain and goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, midfielders such as Teboho Mokoena and Sphephelo Sithole, experienced players including Themba Zwane and Thapelo Morena, and younger talents such as Relebohile Mofokeng, Shandre Campbell and Thapelo Maseko.
There are also players returning to the national-team picture.
Luther Singh, for example, was recalled after a lengthy absence, while Cassius Mailula and Yanela Mbuthuma were among the attacking options selected by Mosimane.
The selection indicates that Mosimane is balancing experience with emerging talent.
That approach is particularly relevant following the 2026 World Cup, where South Africa’s squad gained experience at the highest international level. Maintaining a degree of continuity could allow the team to preserve established relationships while giving younger players opportunities to develop within the national setup.
Mosimane has also spoken about the importance of building a deeper generation of players. IOL reported that he wants to use a model involving the integration of younger footballers while maintaining sufficient experience within the squad.
Injuries create an early defensive test
The Guinea match will also test Bafana’s squad depth.
Orlando Pirates defender Nkosinathi Sibisi has been ruled out of the opening qualifier after sustaining an injury during training. Mosimane said Sibisi had not trained for two days and that medical advice indicated he would miss the match.
Sibisi’s absence comes after other defensive concerns had already affected the squad.
IOL reported that Mbekezeli Mbokazi was also unavailable, meaning Mosimane has fewer established options in central defence.
However, the situation provides an opportunity for other defenders.
Olwethu Makhanya has been identified as one of the players capable of stepping into the defensive structure alongside Ime Okon. Makhanya’s recent form in Scotland has increased attention around his possible role in the national team.
For Mosimane, the defensive changes will make organisation particularly important.
Guinea possess a recognised attacking threat in Serhou Guirassy, the Borussia Dortmund striker whom Mosimane has specifically identified as a player requiring close attention. SABC News reported that Mosimane highlighted Guirassy’s aerial ability, physical strength and finishing threat during his assessment of the opposition.
Guinea present a serious opening challenge
Guinea are not entering the match simply to participate in the beginning of the qualification campaign.
The Guinean squad includes experienced international players, although captain Naby Keïta is unavailable after declining the call-up for personal reasons. Guinea coach Paulo Duarte has nevertheless indicated that his squad is motivated to begin the qualifiers positively.
Guinea’s recent results have included several matches used for experimentation, according to midfielder Mory Konaté, who explained that the team had been using friendly matches to rotate players and develop cohesion.
The competitive environment is therefore different.
South Africa will have home advantage, but Guinea’s attacking options mean Bafana cannot afford to become overly open. The defensive response to Guirassy and the ability of South Africa’s midfield to control possession could become important components of the match.
The importance of the AFCON campaign
The match is also the beginning of a qualification campaign for a tournament that will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania in 2027.
South Africa are in Group D alongside Guinea, Eritrea and Kenya. Kenya’s status as a co-host adds an unusual element to the qualification structure, while South Africa’s other immediate opponent is Eritrea.
After the Guinea match, Bafana are scheduled to face Eritrea in Cairo on 30 September. The team will then remain in Egypt for a friendly against the Egyptian national side on 4 October.
The schedule gives Mosimane three opportunities to assess his team within a relatively short international window.
The first match, however, carries particular significance because it is competitive and takes place at home.
Mosimane’s expectations
Mosimane has publicly stated that qualification alone cannot be the ultimate ambition.
IOL reported that the coach has spoken about wanting South Africa to compete for major silverware, while also acknowledging the foundation established by Broos.
That objective provides context for the current transition.
The immediate priority remains the qualification process. Before South Africa can compete for the AFCON title, the team must first secure its place at the tournament.
Saturday’s match consequently represents the first practical step in that process.
The players will also have to adapt to the demands of a new coach. Some have worked with Mosimane before, while others are experiencing his methods for the first time. His ability to communicate tactical instructions quickly could be important during the opening stages of his tenure.
A new era begins at Orlando
Orlando Amstel Arena will provide the setting for Mosimane’s competitive return.
The South African Football Association confirmed Orlando Stadium as the venue for the Guinea fixture earlier this month, with kick-off scheduled for 15:00 South African time.
The venue is familiar territory for South African football and is expected to provide a strong home atmosphere.
For Bafana, the assignment is straightforward on paper: begin the AFCON qualifying campaign with a positive result.
For Mosimane, however, the match represents considerably more. It is the first competitive opportunity to demonstrate how his new technical structure will operate, how he intends to combine established players with emerging talent and how quickly the team can adapt to his tactical ideas.
The coach’s explanation about the backroom changes also helps define the moment. The transition is not simply about replacing individuals; it is about establishing a new technical direction while preserving the strengths of a squad that has recently gained major tournament experience.
South Africa therefore enter the Guinea match with several issues to address at once: defensive injuries, tactical choices, squad integration and the demands of AFCON qualification.
The outcome will provide the first competitive evidence of how Mosimane’s new Bafana chapter is taking shape.
