South Africa will face Egypt in a high-profile friendly at the Cairo International Stadium on 4 October, with the match scheduled to kick off at 20:00 South Africa time.
The fixture will provide a major test for Bafana Bafana and new coach Pitso Mosimane, who has a demanding period ahead before the meeting with the Pharaohs. South Africa must first navigate two 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, hosting Guinea on 26 September before travelling to Asmara to play Eritrea four days later.
Mosimane is expected to name a preliminary squad for those qualifying matches before the end of the week. The players selected for the qualifiers will form the immediate focus of the coach’s preparations, before attention turns to the trip to Cairo.
The Egypt match will be particularly significant for Mosimane because of his previous success in the country. He led Al Ahly to two Champions League titles and is therefore well known in North African football.
Safa president Danny Jordaan believes that familiarity will add an extra dimension to the contest, while also warning that South Africa should expect a difficult assignment.
“Matches against Egypt are always tough and we do not expect anything less in this latest instalment. I think coach Pitso’s return to Bafana Bafana will add another twist because they know him very well in the North African country. This will be another great test for both teams,” said Jordaan.
For Bafana Bafana, the match is the latest confirmed fixture in a demanding sequence that begins with the home qualifier against Guinea on 26 September. Four days later, South Africa will be in Asmara for the game against Eritrea, before travelling to Egypt for the international friendly on 4 October.
The encounter at the Cairo International Stadium will see Mosimane return to a country where he built a strong reputation during his time with Al Ahly. His knowledge of Egyptian football, combined with Egypt’s familiarity with him, is expected to make the meeting an intriguing test for both teams.
Safa has secured the fixture as part of Bafana Bafana’s preparations, with the match offering another opportunity for the national side to measure itself against high-level opposition. Egypt will provide a stern challenge after South Africa’s two competitive Afcon qualifiers.
The announcement also gives Mosimane a clear timetable for the opening stages of his return to Bafana Bafana. His first task will be to finalise the preliminary squad and oversee the matches against Guinea and Eritrea, followed by the Cairo contest against the Pharaohs.
The Egypt fixture will take place at 8pm South Africa time on 4 October.
