Bafana Bafana face Eritrea in Cairo on 30 September 2026, looking to build on their opening Group D win over Guinea in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
Bafana Bafana v Eritrea: AFCON 2027 Qualifier Preview
Bafana Bafana v Eritrea kicks off the second round of 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying on Wednesday, 30 September 2026. Kick-off at the Al-Salam Stadium in Cairo is 18:00 SAST. Pitso Mosimane’s side sit top of Group D after beating Guinea 2-1 on matchday one, and a positive result here would extend that lead. This is a preview, written before kick-off.
When and where is Bafana Bafana v Eritrea being played?
Bafana Bafana v Eritrea kicks off at 18:00 SAST on Wednesday, 30 September 2026, at the Al-Salam Stadium in Cairo, according to the SAFA match centre. Eritrea are the nominated home side, but the game is played at a neutral venue in Egypt rather than inside Eritrea itself. It is matchday two of the AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign for both teams.
The fixture follows South Africa’s opening win over Guinea at Orlando Stadium on 26 September. You can track every Bafana date on our Bafana Bafana fixtures and results page.
What is at stake for Bafana Bafana in Group D?
South Africa currently top Group D on three points after one match, with Eritrea and Kenya level on one point each and Guinea bottom without a point, per CAF’s qualifying coverage. However, the group has an unusual twist. Kenya are co-hosts of the 2027 finals alongside Tanzania and Uganda, and they have already qualified as hosts. That means only the highest-placed team other than Kenya in Group D goes through, so South Africa, Eritrea and Guinea are really fighting for one qualifying spot.
A win in Cairo would put Bafana on six points from two games and open a healthy gap in that race. A draw would keep South Africa top on goal difference, while a loss would let Eritrea leapfrog them. Meanwhile, Guinea host Kenya on 1 October in the other Group D fixture that week.
What is South Africa’s recent form heading into Cairo?
South Africa opened the qualifying campaign with a 2-1 win over Guinea at Orlando Stadium, Mosimane’s first match since returning for a third spell in charge. Before that, Bafana’s most recent competitive outings came at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in June, where they lost 2-0 to Mexico, drew 1-1 with Czechia, beat South Korea 1-0 and lost 0-1 to Canada. As a result, Wednesday’s game is only the side’s second match of the new qualifying cycle and the first under Mosimane away from home.
Our Bafana Bafana 2-1 Guinea report covers the Guinea win in detail, including the goalscorers and the table impact, while the Mosimane Bafana squad report explains how the 30-man group for these qualifiers was picked.
How have Eritrea performed so far in qualifying?
Eritrea drew 1-1 away to Kenya on matchday one, a result CAF’s coverage lists as a shared point in Nairobi. Earlier in 2026, Eritrea also played a pair of friendlies against Eswatini, winning 2-0 at home and then 2-1 away, results that suggest a side building some momentum after a long spell of limited international football. They have not lost any of their last three fixtures tracked in our match data.
Eritrea remain one of the continent’s most sparingly used national teams because of long-running visa and travel complications, which is also why Wednesday’s “home” fixture is being staged in Cairo rather than on Eritrean soil.
Have South Africa and Eritrea met before?
No prior meeting between the two nations appears in our match records or in wider historical coverage, so Wednesday’s game looks to be the first-ever competitive fixture between Bafana Bafana and Eritrea. That means there is no head-to-head history to lean on, and both benches will be working from scouting reports rather than past results.
What happens after Bafana Bafana v Eritrea?
Update: Bafana won this fixture 5-0, as covered in our Bafana Bafana 5-0 Eritrea report. Their next assignment is an international friendly away to Egypt at the Cairo International Stadium on 4 October 2026, four days after Bafana Bafana v Eritrea and in the same city, previewed in our Bafana Bafana v Egypt preview. Group D then pauses until the November international window. Our AFCON 2027 qualifiers schedule has the full run of qualifying dates, and the South Africa national soccer team players page and national team standings page track the squad and the group table as they update.
Frequently asked questions
What time does Bafana Bafana v Eritrea kick off?
Kick-off is 18:00 SAST on Wednesday, 30 September 2026, at the Al-Salam Stadium in Cairo.
Why is Eritrea’s home match being played in Cairo?
Eritrea have long played their competitive home fixtures at neutral venues in Egypt rather than at home, and this Group D qualifier follows that pattern.
Where do South Africa stand in Group D before this match?
Bafana Bafana lead Group D on three points after beating Guinea 2-1 on matchday one, with Eritrea and Kenya on one point each.
Why does Kenya’s co-host status matter for this group?
Kenya have already qualified for the 2027 finals as co-hosts, so only the best-placed team among South Africa, Eritrea and Guinea can claim Group D’s qualifying spot.
What is Bafana Bafana’s next match after Eritrea?
South Africa play an international friendly away to Egypt in Cairo on 4 October 2026, before Group D qualifying resumes in November.
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