South Africa v Kenya: Friday 13 November 2026, Orlando Amstel Arena, Soweto. Kick-off 18:00 SA time / 19:00 EAT.
Kenya v South Africa: Tuesday 17 November 2026, Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi. Kick-off 19:00 EAT / 18:00 SA time.
Both are AFCON 2027 qualifiers in Group D. South Africa lead the group with 6 points. Kenya are already qualified as co-hosts.
It’s the double-header with the best storyline of the November window. Pitso Mosimane’s Bafana Bafana take on Kenya’s Harambee Stars, coached by Benni McCarthy, Bafana’s record goalscorer. Two games in five days, first in Soweto and then in Nairobi, could go a long way towards deciding who goes to AFCON 2027 from Group D.
Match details
| Match | Date | Venue | Kick-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇿🇦 South Africa v Kenya 🇰🇪 | Fri 13 Nov 2026 | Orlando Amstel Arena, Soweto | 18:00 SAST · 19:00 EAT · 16:00 UK |
| 🇰🇪 Kenya v South Africa 🇿🇦 | Tue 17 Nov 2026 | Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi | 19:00 EAT · 18:00 SAST · 16:00 UK |
Group D table before the games
| Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇿🇦 South Africa | 2 | +6 | 6 |
| 🇬🇳 Guinea | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 🇰🇪 Kenya (host) | 2 | -1 | 1 |
| 🇪🇷 Eritrea | 2 | -5 | 1 |
Results so far: South Africa 2–1 Guinea · Kenya 1–1 Eritrea · Eritrea 0–5 South Africa · Guinea 1–0 Kenya. Full tables: AFCON 2027 qualifiers table.
What’s at stake
Group D is a host group. Kenya are already qualified as co-hosts, so only one other team from the group goes to AFCON 2027, and right now that’s a race between South Africa and Guinea.
- For South Africa: two wins would take Bafana to 12 points after four games. Guinea play Eritrea twice in the same window, so dropped points against Kenya could hand Guinea the advantage. South Africa still have to travel to Conakry in March 2027.
- For Kenya: the Harambee Stars are still looking for their first win of the campaign. They don’t need points to qualify, but results matter. Every point Kenya take off South Africa helps Guinea, and McCarthy wants a competitive team for a home AFCON in seven months.
The storyline: Mosimane v McCarthy
Benni McCarthy is Bafana Bafana’s all-time leading scorer, and now he leads Kenya against his own country, first in Soweto, where he’ll get plenty of attention from the home crowd. In the other dugout, Pitso Mosimane is in his second spell in charge of Bafana, and two wins so far, including a 5–0 win over Eritrea, have made the start of his tenure look strong.
On paper the gap is big. South Africa are ranked 48th in the world, their highest position since 2011, while Kenya are 114th. But a double-header, with the second game in Nairobi, is rarely straightforward.
Squads
🇿🇦 South Africa (38-man preliminary squad)
Mosimane named a large preliminary squad of 38 players. Key names include goalkeeper and captain Ronwen Williams, Teboho Mokoena and Themba Zwane (Mamelodi Sundowns), forward Lyle Foster (Houston Dynamo) and Relebohile Mofokeng (Royale Union Saint-Gilloise), who scored twice against Eritrea. The squad will be cut before the games.
🇰🇪 Kenya (36-man provisional squad)
McCarthy named 36 players on 29 October. Big news: captain Michael Olunga returns after missing the last window through injury, and defender Joseph Okumu (Stade de Reims) is back after a long knee ligament injury. Ryan Ogam, who scored Kenya’s goal against Eritrea, is included, along with Daniel Anyembe, Mohammed Bajaber and Gor Mahia’s in-form Alpha Onyango.
Players to watch
- Relebohile Mofokeng (South Africa): two goals in the 5–0 win over Eritrea. He’s Bafana’s most exciting young attacker.
- Lyle Foster (South Africa): the focal point up front.
- Michael Olunga (Kenya): Kenya’s captain and main goal threat, back at the right time.
- Ryan Ogam (Kenya): scored late against Eritrea and is a useful option off the bench.
Where to watch
CAF has awarded free-to-air rights for AFCON 2027 and its qualifiers across sub-Saharan Africa, including South Africa and Kenya, but the channel in each country has not been confirmed for these games yet. Check our How to watch AFCON 2027 guide, which we update as broadcasters are announced, and read about the free-to-air TV deal.
Frequently asked questions
When is South Africa vs Kenya?
South Africa host Kenya on Friday 13 November 2026 at Orlando Amstel Arena in Soweto, with kick-off at 18:00 South African time (19:00 EAT). The return game is on Tuesday 17 November 2026 at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi, at 19:00 EAT (18:00 SA time).
Where is South Africa vs Kenya being played?
The first game is at Orlando Amstel Arena in Soweto, Johannesburg. The second is at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi.
Who coaches Kenya and South Africa?
Benni McCarthy, Bafana Bafana’s record goalscorer, coaches Kenya. Pitso Mosimane coaches South Africa.
Can South Africa still qualify for AFCON 2027?
Yes. South Africa lead Group D with 6 points. Kenya are already qualified as co-hosts, so South Africa are competing mainly with Guinea for the group’s one remaining place.
More: Bafana Bafana AFCON 2027 hub · Qualifiers table · All November fixtures