Bafana Bafana Set for AFCON 2027 Qualifiers Against Guinea, Kenya and Eritrea
South Africa now know who they will face in the race to reach the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. Bafana Bafana have been drawn in Group D of the AFCON 2027 qualifiers alongside Guinea, Kenya, and Eritrea, following the official draw held in Cairo on Tuesday.
The Draw
CAF conducted the draw at the headquarters of the Egyptian Football Association, with prominent African football figures including William Troost-Ekong, Essam El Hadary, Max Gradel, and Trésor Mputu among those present. All 48 participating teams were placed into 12 groups of four.
Group D is made up as follows:
- South Africa
- Guinea
- Kenya
- Eritrea
Benni McCarthy to Face His Home Country
One of the standout storylines from the draw is the presence of Kenya in South Africa’s group. Kenya are coached by Benni McCarthy, a South African football legend who still holds the Bafana Bafana all-time international scoring record with 31 goals.
McCarthy will face the country he represented as a player, adding a personal dimension to what is already a competitive qualifying group.
There is, however, an important detail that affects how the group will play out. Kenya are one of three co-hosts of the 2027 tournament, alongside Uganda and Tanzania. All three nations have already secured their places at the finals. That means in groups containing a co-host, only one qualifying spot is available for the remaining teams, rather than the usual two.
For South Africa, Guinea, and Eritrea, that makes every point in Group D crucial.
Qualification Format
Across the 12 qualifying groups, the top two teams in each group will advance to the 24-team finals. However, in groups where a co-host is present, only one additional team will qualify since the host nation is already through.
The qualifiers will be played across three international windows:
- Matchdays 1 and 2: 21 September to 6 October 2025
- Matchdays 3 and 4: 9 to 17 November 2025
- Matchdays 5 and 6: 22 to 30 March 2027
The Bigger Picture
The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will be a historic edition, becoming the first to be hosted by three countries at the same time. Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania will jointly stage the tournament, which is scheduled to run from 19 June to 17 July 2027.
Defending champions Morocco head Group A alongside Gabon, Niger, and Lesotho. Senegal, who won the 2025 final before the result was overturned, are in Group J with Mozambique, Sudan, and Ethiopia. Nigeria are in Group L with Madagascar, Tanzania, and Guinea-Bissau.
What Bafana Bafana Must Do
South Africa will need to finish inside the automatic qualifying positions to reach the finals. With Kenya already assured of their place as co-hosts, Bafana Bafana are effectively competing with Guinea and Eritrea for one qualifying spot from Group D.
It is a straightforward target on paper, but the group will need to be approached with focus and consistency across all six matchdays.
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