Pitso Mosimane returns as Bafana Bafana head coach
SAFA has formally installed Pitso Mosimane for a second permanent spell in charge of South Africa’s senior men’s national football team, ending weeks of negotiations over Hugo Broos’s successor.
The appointment of Pitso Mosimane as Bafana Bafana coach was announced on Tuesday, 1 September 2026. It brings one of Africa’s most decorated club coaches back to a post he previously held from 2010 to 2012.
Mosimane said he accepted the responsibility with an understanding that the role was “bigger than Pitso Mosimane”. He described the appointment as a privilege and acknowledged the expectations attached to leading the national side.
Pitso Mosimane begins second Bafana Bafana spell
Mosimane, 62, succeeds Broos, whose five-year tenure ended after the 2026 FIFA World Cup. South Africa reached the tournament’s knockout stage before losing to Canada in the round of 32, a result that closed a period of marked progress for the national team.
SAFA’s National Executive Committee approved Mosimane’s appointment on 8 August, but said at the time that outstanding details still had to be completed. Tuesday’s announcement confirms that those negotiations have been concluded.
Mosimane also served briefly as Bafana Bafana caretaker coach in 2007. His first permanent spell ended after South Africa failed to qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, making this return an opportunity to build on a substantially stronger coaching record accumulated since then.
A proven African club record
At club level, Mosimane led Mamelodi Sundowns to the 2016 CAF Champions League title. He later won the competition with Egypt’s Al Ahly in 2020 and 2021, placing him among the continent’s most successful coaches.
The immediate challenge is competitive rather than ceremonial. Bafana Bafana are due to begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, with fixtures against Guinea and Eritrea forming the first test of Mosimane’s new tenure.
His task will be to preserve the cohesion and confidence developed under Broos while establishing his own technical approach. Squad selections, staff appointments and preparations for the opening qualifiers will provide the first indications of how quickly that transition is taking shape.
Image: Editorial illustration generated for Umma Media; it does not depict the actual appointment event. Suggested alt text: Illustrated football tactics board, whistle and ball in South African green and gold inside a stadium.
Sources
- South African Football Association: NEC approval of Mosimane’s appointment
- eNCA: Mosimane officially takes charge of Bafana Bafana
- Reuters: Mosimane set for second spell as South Africa coach
- Reuters: South Africa confirm Hugo Broos’s departure
