SOUTH Africa’s senior men’s national football team, Bafana Bafana, will return to Bloemfontein for the first time since June when they take on Egypt in a CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier at the Free State Stadium.
Originally scheduled for Friday, the first match of the two-legged tie will now be played on Sunday starting at 1700 hours after the North Africans encountered visa delays.
The last time Bafana Bafana played in Bloemfontein was on 11 June 2024, when they hosted Zimbabwe in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier.
Now, they aim to take a step closer to CHAN qualification, with the return leg set for 9 March in Egypt.
The CHAN finals will be hosted jointly by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in August.
In a late coaching reshuffle, former national team and Kaizer Chiefs coach Molefi Ntseki has been appointed to lead the Bafana Bafana developmental squad in the CHAN qualifiers.
He takes over from assistant coach Helman Mkhalele, who had previously been in charge of the local-based squad but was reassigned to assist senior head coach Hugo Broos in upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin.
South African Football Association (SAFA) technical committee chair Jack Maluleke confirmed the appointment, stating that Ntseki’s experience and recent endorsement as SAFA’s technical development head made him a logical choice.
“Coach Ntseki is there because he’s in the system, and we requested him to assist as this is an urgent matter,” said Maluleke.
“We needed somebody who could step in quickly, and given that he was recently appointed in a key technical role, he was the best option.”
SAFA explained that Egypt requested a postponement of the match when it became apparent they would only receive their travel documents on Friday, the original matchday.
“The North Africans requested the postponement when it became apparent they would only receive the documents on the day of the match on Friday, and the request was acceded to,” SAFA said in a statement.
Despite the delay, the Free State Stadium will remain the venue, with kick-off now set for Sunday at 1700 hours.
Bafana Bafana have traditionally struggled to assemble strong squads for CHAN qualifiers, as the tournament is restricted to players based in their respective domestic leagues.
This time, Mkhalele had called up a mix of out-of-favour players and rising stars from the Betway Premiership.
The squad includes Monnapule Saleng, Azola Tshobeni, Sphamandla Gumede (Orlando Pirates), Aden McCarthy, Bongani Sam (Kaizer Chiefs), Neo Maema and Kutlwano Letlhaku (Mamelodi Sundowns).
The team assembled in Johannesburg on Wednesday before traveling to the Free State under the guidance of Maluleke and South Africa U-20 coach Raymond Mdaka, who will assist Ntseki.
The CHAN tournament provides an opportunity for local-based players to shine on the international stage.
South Africa will need a strong performance at home before heading to Cairo for the second leg.
A win over Egypt would bring them closer to securing a place in the final qualification round in May.
With Bloemfontein once again playing host to international football, fans in the Free State will be eager to see if this Bafana Bafana squad can rise to the occasion and take a step closer to CHAN glory. – Sports Reporter