Mosimane vs McCarthy: Bafana Host Harambee Stars In Blockbuster Orlando Qualifier
The South African Football Association (SAFA) has confirmed that Bafana Bafana will host Kenya at the Orlando Amstel Arena on Friday, 13 November 2026, in a key 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier.
The fixture forms the first part of a crucial double-header next month, with the return leg scheduled for Nairobi on Tuesday, 17 November.
The Orlando venue hosted Bafana Bafana’s opening AFCON qualifier last month, where Pitso Mosimane’s tenure as head coach got off to a winning start with a 2-1 victory over Guinea. Bafana followed that up with a emphatic 5-0 win against Eritrea at a neutral venue in Egypt, before sealing a 1-0 friendly win over Egypt at Cairo International Stadium.
“Orlando Amstel Arena in Johannesburg will host the first of Bafana Bafana’s back-to-back 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Kenya next month,” SAFA announced in an official statement.
“Bafana Bafana will welcome coach Benni McCarthy’s side on Friday, 13 November 2026, before traveling to Nairobi for the second match on Tuesday, 17 November 2026. Kick-off in Orlando is at 18:00.
“The two matches will have added spice as McCarthy faces his home country for the first time as Kenya coach, giving him an opportunity to test his mettle against counterpart Pitso Mosimane on home soil.
“Bafana Bafana sit at the summit of Group D after winning both of their AFCON qualifiers in September 2026. Mosimane’s charges beat Guinea 2-1 in Johannesburg and then thumped Eritrea 5-0 in Egypt. The South African senior men’s national team also beat Egypt 1-0 in Cairo during that window.
“These results contributed to Bafana Bafana’s rise in the FIFA rankings to 48th in the global standings and 10th in Africa. Mosimane will announce his preliminary squad in the coming days.
“Tickets are now on sale, priced at R100 for adults and R40 for children aged 5 to 12.”
Securing back-to-back wins in these upcoming fixtures will bring Bafana Bafana significantly closer to qualifying for the 2027 AFCON, which will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
