Bafana Bafana’s impressive return to form under Pitso Mosimane has been reflected in the latest provisional FIFA world rankings, with South Africa climbing six places following a perfect international window.
The national team entered the latest round of fixtures ranked 54th in the world but has now moved up to 48th after securing three consecutive victories.
Mosimane’s return to the Bafana Bafana dugout has therefore begun in spectacular fashion, with the coach overseeing wins against Guinea, Eritrea and Egypt.
Three Wins Give South Africa Major Ranking Boost
South Africa began the international period with a narrow 2-1 victory over Guinea at Orlando Stadium in a 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying encounter.
Bafana then produced an emphatic display in Cairo, defeating Eritrea 5-0 in their second Group D qualifier.
The team completed the international window with another impressive result, beating Egypt 1-0 in a high-profile friendly in Cairo on Sunday.
The three results gave South Africa a perfect record under Mosimane since his return to the national team.
Mosimane Makes Immediate Impact on Bafana Return
The latest run represents an encouraging start to Mosimane’s second spell in charge of Bafana Bafana.
The former national team coach initially occupied the position between 2010 and 2012 before returning to lead the side 14 years later.
His latest appointment has already produced three victories from three matches, while South Africa’s improved FIFA ranking provides another indication of the team’s progress.
The jump to 48th also sees Bafana move above Venezuela in the provisional rankings.
FIFA Ranking Still Awaiting Official Confirmation
Despite South Africa’s rise, the current ranking remains provisional.
FIFA is expected to publish the official rankings on Wednesday, 7 October, with the governing body noting that live rankings can still change until all relevant matches have been formally confirmed as international A fixtures.
Bafana’s six-place improvement could therefore be subject to a final adjustment before the official list is released.
Kenya Tests Could Define AFCON Campaign
While the recent results have generated optimism, Mosimane has warned that Bafana cannot afford to become complacent.
South Africa’s next major assignment will come in November, when they face Kenya in consecutive 2027 AFCON qualifying matches.
The matches will have added significance because Kenya are coached by former Bafana star Benni McCarthy.
Mosimane expects McCarthy to make the encounters particularly difficult and believes the two fixtures could have a major influence on South Africa’s qualification prospects.
Mosimane Warns Bafana Have Not Arrived Yet
Speaking after the victory over Egypt, Mosimane stressed that South Africa’s strong start does not guarantee qualification.
“We have to qualify for AFCON. It looks good now, but we haven’t arrived. We have Kenya back-to-back,” Mosimane said.
The coach also praised McCarthy’s competitive character, warning that his former player would not make things easy for Bafana.
“Benni will never allow us to win easily. He’s a fighter by nature. Those two games will determine our fate before we go to Guinea,” he added.
Bafana Bafana Lead Group D
South Africa currently sit at the top of their AFCON qualifying group after winning both of their opening matches.
The six points give Bafana a strong early position in Group D as they continue their pursuit of a place at the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
However, with Kenya awaiting in November and Guinea still to face later in the campaign, Mosimane knows there is considerably more work to do before qualification is secured.
For now, the combination of three straight victories and a rise from 54th to a provisional 48th in the world rankings represents a significant early boost for Mosimane’s second chapter with Bafana Bafana.
