The South African Football Association (SAFA) has confirmed that Orlando Amstel Arena in Soweto will host the first of South Africa’s two consecutive 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying matches against Kenya.
Pitso Mosimane’s Bafana Bafana will face Benni McCarthy’s Kenyan side on Friday, 13 November 2026. Kick-off is scheduled for 18:00.
South Africa will then travel to Nairobi for the return fixture on Tuesday, 17 November 2026.
McCarthy Set for First Match Against South Africa as Kenya Coach
The two fixtures will see McCarthy face his home country for the first time since taking charge of the Kenyan national team.
The encounters will also bring McCarthy and Mosimane together in a coaching contest as both sides seek points in the AFCON qualifying campaign.
Mosimane has warned that Kenya will present a difficult challenge, pointing to McCarthy’s competitive nature and commitment to football.
Speaking after South Africa’s 1-0 victory over Egypt on 4 October 2026, Mosimane said the matches against Kenya would be important in determining Bafana Bafana’s position before their subsequent meeting with Guinea.
He said McCarthy would not make it easy for South Africa to secure victories in the two fixtures, describing the Kenyan coach as a fighter.
Bafana Bafana Lead Group D After Strong Start
South Africa enter the November qualifiers at the top of Group D following a successful start to their campaign in September.
Bafana Bafana opened their qualifying programme with a 2-1 win over Guinea at Orlando Amstel Arena before recording a 5-0 victory against Eritrea in Egypt.
The team continued its winning run during the recent FIFA international window, defeating Egypt 1-0 in a friendly match in Cairo.
South Africa Improve Position in FIFA Rankings
The results have helped South Africa climb to 48th in the FIFA World Rankings and 10th in the continental rankings.
With the two matches against Kenya approaching, Mosimane is expected to announce his preliminary squad in the coming days.
The back-to-back fixtures will be followed by another encounter against Guinea as South Africa continue their bid to qualify for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
