Bafana Bafana must topple Guinea and Eritrea in the AFCON 2027 qualifiers. Here's how the Group D teams stack up.
In three weeks, Pitso Mosimane will face his first big test as new Bafana Bafana coach.
On Wednesday, 23 September, South Africa’s journey to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) begins against Guinea.
Mosimane is expected to name his first squad this Thursday ahead of the game later this month.
We’ve unpacked Group D of the AFCON 2027 qualifiers and which countries will be out to stop Bafana Bafana from advancing.
The tournament will take place in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, as confirmed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
South Africa has been placed in one of three qualifying groups which includes an AFCON 2027 co-host nation, namely Kenya.
This means that Kenya has a confirmed place in the main tournament, no matter what happens to them in the qualifiers.
So, what does this mean for Bafana Bafana?
Only one other team from Group D will advance, tightening the race for South Africa, Guinea and Eritrea.
Bafana Bafana open their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign against Guinea on 23 September. The venue for this clash is yet to be confirmed.
South Africa then travel to Eritrea for the second match on 27 September. Again, match details are still to be confirmed.
CAF has stated that matchdays 3 and 4 will be played from 9 to 17 November, and matchdays 5 and 6 will be played from 22 to 30 March 2027.
Syli National are expected to be South Africa’s biggest challenge in Group D.
Despite missing AFCON 2025 in Morocco, Guinea has a squad that includes headline talent.
Top of the list is Serhou Guirassy, who plays as a striker for Borussia Dortmund in Germany’s Bundesliga.
Left-back Issiaga Sylla has a wealth of experience and is the country’s most capped player.
Coach Paulo Duarte has a core of European-based stars, underlining the team’s quality and potential threat.
Guinea are currently 81st in the FIFA world rankings, compared to South Africa at 54th.
However, Bafana will likely see this first game as a ‘must-win’ to avoid cutting it fine as they did in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
On paper, the Red Sea Camels are the weakest team in Group D.
Eritrea has little competitive history and has never qualified for an AFCON or World Cup tournament.
Players also have a pattern of seeking asylum or absconding when travelling outside of the country for games.
In April, for instance, the BBC reported that seven players had reportedly not returned after a crucial 2-0 win over Eswatini in Morocco.
The team is placed 184th in the FIFA global rankings.
These factors make the Eritrea games the simplest to predict for Bafana Bafana.
However, coach Pitso Mosimane would likely still expect his players to be on guard against any potential upsets.
The Harambee Stars have nothing to gain from Group D but experience and momentum.
Having already secured a place in the main AFCON 2027 tournament, Kenya could be experimental.
This alone makes the co-hosts a dangerous wild card.
Coached by legendary South African striker Benni McCarthy, Bafana Bafana will not take Kenya lightly, despite their recent form.
In fact, the South African legend could be aiming to prove a point against the team he once starred for.
The Harambee Stars will also be bolstered by the return of veteran striker Michael Olunga. His last appearance for Kenya was against Seychelles during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in September 2025.
These will be tricky fixtures for Bafana Bafana to navigate, and a stumble could derail their chances of reaching AFCON 2027.
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