Pyramids Appoint Mokwena As New Head Coach Following Al-Ittihad Exit
Egyptian Premier League giants Pyramids has appointed South African tactician Rulani Mokwena as their new head coach ahead of the 2026/27 season.
The 39-year-old replaces Croatian manager Krunoslav Jurčić, taking the reins in Cairo just days after ending his seven-month tenure with Libyan powerhouse Al-Ittihad Tripoli over deep-seated disagreements regarding player recruitment and long-term sporting strategy.
The board at Pyramids FC decisively parted ways with Jurčić despite his previous domestic exploits and his successful guiding of the team to the 2024/25 CAF Champions League title. Mokwena, widely revered as one of the finest tactical minds on the African continent, steps into a high-pressure environment where matching rivals Al Ahly remains the daily mandate.
Why did Rulani Mokwena leave Al-Ittihad Tripoli?
Mokwena’s sudden availability triggered immediate action from the Pyramids hierarchy, who have actively monitored the South African for over two years. The tactician abruptly cut ties with Al-Ittihad after realizing that internal board promises regarding high-caliber player recruitment and overall structural autonomy could no longer be fulfilled.
As relations between Mokwena and the Libyan executives deteriorated over transfer policies, the former Sundowns boss chose to walk away rather than compromise his rigid football philosophy.
What is Rulani Mokwena’s managerial record in North Africa?
Egypt marks the fourth distinct destination in Mokwena’s highly ambitious North African odyssey since his departure from Mamelodi Sundowns in 2024.
- Morocco: He initially tested the waters in the region by guiding Botola Pro heavyweights Wydad Casablanca.
- Algeria: He subsequently took the wheel at MC Alger, executing a brilliant tactical blueprint that left the club sitting comfortably at the summit of the Algerian Ligue 1 before his premature exit.
- Libya: A brief, highly frustrating seven-month project with Al-Ittihad Tripoli followed before his relocation to Cairo.
Mokwena inherits a remarkably wealthy Pyramids squad desperate to reclaim continental glory. While Pyramids historically captured the 2024/25 CAF Champions League trophy by defeating Mokwena’s former employers, Mamelodi Sundowns, they suffered a catastrophic group-stage exit during their subsequent title defense.
Ironically, it was Sundowns who marched on to hoist this past season’s trophy, setting up a mouthwatering narrative as Mokwena prepares his new Egyptian squad for a massive upcoming campaign.
