Mosimane Clears SAFA Executive Hurdle; Formal Coaching Announcement Pending

JOHANNESBURG — Pitso Mosimane’s return to the South African national team coaching role cleared its first institutional hurdle on Saturday, when the South African Football Association’s executive committee approved the appointment. The formal announcement, however, is still pending.

Association president Danny Jordaan confirmed the executive’s backing but was direct about what remains unresolved: “We need to tie up some loose ends. We will make a formal announcement next week.” Salary discussions were identified as incomplete, though the statement did not detail the full scope of outstanding negotiations.

Mosimane, 62, takes over from Belgian coach Hugo Broos, who stepped down after the 2026 World Cup. The appointment closes a circle that opened awkwardly. Mosimane was dismissed from the same post in 2012 after South Africa drew 1-1 at home against Ethiopia in a World Cup qualifier. An association official travelled 130 kilometres from Johannesburg that same day to deliver the news.

What followed that dismissal was a career that outgrew the circumstances of its interruption. At Pretoria club Mamelodi Sundowns, Mosimane built a record of sustained continental success, culminating in the 2016 CAF Champions League title. In 2020, he became the first sub-Saharan African to take charge of Al Ahly, the Egyptian powerhouse, and won back-to-back CAF Champions League titles there. Subsequent roles took him to clubs in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, with his most recent position at Esteghlal in Iran. As a player, he made four appearances for South Africa and represented three South African clubs, including Sundowns, before spells in Greece, Belgium and Qatar.

The team Mosimane inherits arrives with genuine momentum. Under Broos, South Africa reached the second round of the 2026 World Cup for the first time, having failed to qualify in three previous attempts. The team finished runners-up in Group A behind co-hosts Mexico after defeating South Korea 1-0, then lost 1-0 to Canada in the last-32 round. Broos, 74, cited a desire to spend more time with his family when he announced his resignation after five years in charge.

By contrast, the operational calendar ahead of Mosimane leaves little room for a slow start. His immediate delivery target is qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled across Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. South Africa sit in Group D alongside Kenya, Guinea and Eritrea. Kenya, as joint hosts, qualify automatically but will participate in qualifying matches for competitive preparation. The remaining three nations contest a single berth.

The fixture schedule is compressed. South Africa host Serhou Guirassy-inspired Guinea and visit minnows Eritrea during September. Two matches against Kenya follow in November, with return fixtures against Guinea and Eritrea scheduled for March. Multiple away matches against unfamiliar opponents in quick succession will test Mosimane’s capacity to organize the squad and establish a competitive rhythm before the campaign reaches its decisive phase.

Whether the formal contract announcement arrives next week as promised, or slips further, will be the first indicator of how cleanly this transition is being managed off the pitch.