Bafana Path Clear for Pitso Mosimane as Hugo Broos Confirms Departure

Pitso Mosimane’s dream of becoming the new South Africa national team coach looks to be coming close to reality after Belgian Hugo Broos confirmed his departure.

Broos, who has been Bafana Bafana coach since May 2021, has ended his five-year tenure after announcing that he will not coach again, having led South Africa to the 2026 World Cup, where they made history by making it out of their group and into the Round of 32.

The 74-year-old’s spell is considered a success after leading South Africa to third place at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, Round of 16 at the 2025 edition and qualifying for the World Cup for the first time since 2002.

Broos says he is open to helping South African football in a different capacity, with talks already underway with the South African football Association, but a return to the dugout is out of the question.

“Will I continue as a coach ​after all? No, it is irreversible! If they need me for something else, perhaps in scouting: that is something else. But football is no longer going to ​be a part of my life 24 hours a day,” Broos ​told Belgian outlet voetbalnieuws.be as quoted by Afrik-Foot South Africa.

“I have already had a conversation with the chairman of the South African ‌Football ⁠Association. He would like to keep me, but in a different role, as an advisor or something like that. I will return at the end of July to say a final farewell. I am curious ​to see what ​he will ⁠propose to me.”

Broos was the longest-serving coach of South Africa and helped revive the fortunes of a team that had been struggling to qualify for major tournaments before his arrival.

“My wife ⁠is happy that I’m quitting, but she’s already warned me: ‘Just make sure you don’t get in my way!’ Suppose I have to be in South ⁠Africa ​for a few weeks every two months: ​why not? Better that than being a nuisance at home because I have nothing to ​do,” he added.

Following his confirmation, Mosimane is odds-on favourite to take over after receiving backing from different quarters, including South Africa’s Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie.

“The next coach of Bafana Bafana has to be Pitso Mosimane. We need a person that understands our boys. I have put my word as the Minister of Sports behind Pitso Mosimane,” McKenzie said last week.

“We have seen how France is playing with Didier Deschamps…even Ronaldo [Brazil legend] said they are playing Samba, so even our players, we are going to unearth a lot of players and Pitso Mosimane is the coach that must take Bafana Bafana forward.”

According to South African outlet KickOff, Mosimane is the clear frontrunner with Kaizer Chiefs legend and current AmaZulu FC coach Arthur Zwane being fronted as his assistant.

Mosimane has coached Bafana Bafana before, between 2010 and 2010, having previously served as assistant coach to Brazilians Carlos Alberto Parreira and Joel Santana.