New Bafana Bafana head coach Pitso Mosimane has just a few weeks to prepare before announcing his first squad for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The 62-year-old was named the new Bafana coach on Tuesday, replacing Hugo Broos and beginning his second tenure in charge of the national team.

Mosimane returns with the hope of taking Bafana to another level, but he will have little time to settle in. His first major test will come in the AFCON qualifiers against Eritrea and Guinea.

Six points from those two matches would put Bafana in a strong position to qualify, while a poor start would immediately put pressure on Jingles.

Why Pitso Mosimane will rely on Pirates players ahead of Bafana’s games

Orlando Pirates are arguably the most in-form team in the country this season after winning the league, and their success has been driven largely by a strong group of South African players.

It would therefore be a surprise if Mosimane overlooked the Buccaneers when selecting his first squad.

Broos took eight Pirates players to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with several of them playing important roles as Bafana reached the last 32.

Mosimane is expected to strike a balance between experience and youth, and some new faces could also be introduced.

The likes of Thapelo Mokobodi and Lebone Seema could be in line for their first Bafana call-ups, while Kamohelo Sebelebele, Oswin Appollis, Tshepang Moremi and Sipho Chaine are likely to remain in contention.

Mosimane will also have a strong group of Mamelodi Sundowns players to choose for his Bafana squad.

Ronwen Williams, Khuliso Mudau, Teboho Mokoena, Aubrey Modiba and Cassius Mailula could all feature prominently in his plans as he looks to build a squad capable of challenging for AFCON qualification and beyond.

With his first squad announcement fast approaching, Mosimane already has a strong foundation to work with and Pirates’ impressive form could make the Buccaneers the biggest source of players in his first Bafana squad.

The Buccaneers are on form and play the kind of football Jingles love.

Will Pitso succeed?