It is matchday for Bafana Bafana as South Africa take on Egypt in an international friendly at the Cairo International Stadium this evening, bringing an eventful international window to a close.
Bafana Bafana head into Sunday’s encounter on the back of two victories in their opening TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations PAMOJA 2027 qualifiers. South Africa defeated Guinea 2-1 before producing a commanding 5-0 victory over Eritrea in Cairo.
Those results have given Bafana six points from their opening two qualifying matches, with seven goals scored and just one conceded.
Now, their attention turns to Egypt.
The friendly does not carry AFCON qualifying points, but it provides head coach Pitso Mosimane with another opportunity to assess his squad against experienced continental opposition.
Bafana arrive in Cairo with momentum
South Africa started their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign with a 2-1 victory over Guinea at Orlando Stadium on 26 September.
Four days later, Bafana delivered their most convincing performance of the window, defeating Eritrea 5-0 in Cairo.
Relebohile Mofokeng was one of the standout performers, scoring twice as South Africa produced an attacking display that underlined the quality available within Mosimane’s squad.
The result also means Bafana have already built a strong foundation in their qualification campaign before Sunday’s friendly.
Egypt provide the final test
Egypt will provide a different challenge for South Africa.
The Pharaohs have also made a positive start to their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign, collecting four points from their opening two matches.
Egypt drew with Angola before recording a 5-0 victory over South Sudan. Like South Africa, they will use Sunday’s friendly as an opportunity to continue assessing their squad.
For Bafana, facing Egypt in Cairo provides another test against a nation with extensive experience in African international football.
Mosimane expected to rotate his squad
With the two competitive qualifiers already completed, Mosimane is expected to make several changes to his starting XI.
The Bafana coach has previously indicated that he wanted to give players within his squad an opportunity to contribute during the international window.
That could result in several players receiving valuable minutes against Egypt, particularly those who have had limited involvement during the victories over Guinea and Eritrea.
The changes will also allow Mosimane to assess the depth available to him as South Africa prepare for the remainder of their AFCON qualification campaign.
Mofokeng one to watch
Mofokeng will be among the players attracting attention after his impressive performance against Eritrea.
The young attacker scored twice in the 5-0 victory, registering his maiden senior international goals and playing a major role in South Africa’s attacking performance.
His form has added another exciting option to Bafana’s attacking department, although Mosimane’s decision on whether to start him or manage his minutes will only become clear when the official line-ups are announced.
What is at stake tonight?
Unlike the opening two matches of the international window, there are no AFCON qualifying points at stake.
However, the fixture remains important for both teams.
For Mosimane, it is an opportunity to assess players, test different combinations and expose his squad to another high-level opponent.
For the players selected, the match represents another chance to make an impression and strengthen their claims for future international involvement.
Matchday details
Match: Egypt vs South Africa
Competition: International Friendly
Date: Sunday, 4 October 2026
Venue: Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt
Kick-off: 20:00 SAST
Bafana Bafana will be looking to close the international window on a positive note after winning their first two competitive matches.
With six AFCON qualifying points already secured, South Africa can approach the Cairo friendly with an emphasis on squad development while still seeking another positive result.
For the supporters back home, attention now turns to Cairo as Bafana Bafana prepare to face Egypt under the lights.
