With co-hosts Kenya also in their pool and qualifying automatically, it means there is only one spot remaining to fight over for Bafana Bafana, Guinea and Eritrea.
Winning at home is therefore a non-negotiable before South Africa head to neutral Cairo to face Eritrea on September 30. They stay in the city after that to meet Egypt on October 4.
Here is a look at Bafana Bafana’s 2027 AFCON qualifier fixtures, though exact dates and venues for the November and March 2027 matches have not yet been revealed:
AFCON qualification
The qualification competition for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations takes place from September 2026 to March 2027. The 48 teams have been drawn into 12 groups, with the top two in each advancing to the 24-team finals. Hosts Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda qualify automatically, but are still playing in the qualifiers; only one other team will advance from their groups.
AFCON qualifying fixtures | AFCON qualifying standings | African football news
September 26, 2026: South Africa 2-1 Guinea – Orlando Stadium, Johannesburg
September 30, 2026: Eritrea vs South Africa – Al-Salam Stadium, Cairo, neutral venue, 18h00 SAST (16h00 GMT)
November 2026: South Africa vs Kenya
November 2026: Kenya vs South Africa
March 2027: Guinea vs South Africa
March 2027: South Africa vs Eritrea