South Africa vs Kenya: AFCON 2027 Qualifier Nov 13

By the 254.ke Newsroom.

Harambee Stars travel to Johannesburg to face South Africa on Friday, November 13, 2026, in a 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, with kick-off at 6pm local time (7pm in Nairobi). The return leg is in Nairobi on Tuesday, November 17. Kenya, coached by South African Benni McCarthy, sit bottom of Group D with one point from two games, as of October 20, 2026.

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When and where is South Africa vs Kenya?

The South African Football Association has confirmed Orlando Amstel Arena, home of Orlando Pirates, as the venue after earlier reports pointed to Cape Town. The two matches are played back to back inside the November international window.

Date	Fixture	Venue	Kick-off
Fri, Nov 13, 2026	South Africa v Kenya	Orlando Amstel Arena, Johannesburg	6pm SAST (7pm EAT)
Tue, Nov 17, 2026	Kenya v South Africa	Nairobi (venue and time not yet confirmed)	TBC

Some earlier reports gave November 11 for the first game. The date in the South African federation’s own statement is November 13, which is the one used here.

Where does Kenya stand in Group D?

Kenya drew 1-1 at home with Eritrea and lost 1-0 away to Guinea on October 1, when Serhou Guirassy scored in the 32nd minute. That leaves Harambee Stars on one point from two matches, bottom of the group. South Africa lead it after beating Guinea 2-1 at home and Eritrea 5-0 in Cairo, according to reports of the South African federation’s announcement.

Kenya already hold a place at the finals as co-hosts with Uganda and Tanzania, so the qualifiers carry less pressure than they would for other teams. Coach McCarthy has said he is treating them seriously regardless, and the November double-header is the biggest test of that approach so far.

Why does McCarthy v Mosimane matter?

McCarthy, a former Bafana Bafana striker who also starred for Orlando Pirates, will face his home country for the first time as Kenya’s coach. The Johannesburg game is at his former club’s ground. Pitso Mosimane, who is in charge of South Africa, worked with McCarthy when McCarthy played for the national team. South Africa are ranked 48th in the world and 10th in Africa.

What do we know about the squad?

McCarthy named a 38-man provisional squad for the September and October games, and the selection drew criticism. Moses Shumah, top scorer in the 2025/26 Zambian Super League with 21 goals, was left out, and questions were also raised over the omissions of Tyson Otieno and Eric “Marcelo” Ouma. Captain Michael Olunga and defender Joseph Okumu both returned from long injury layoffs. No squad has yet been announced for November. Mosimane is expected to name South Africa’s preliminary group in the coming days.

Frequently asked questions

What time is South Africa vs Kenya?

Kick-off is 6pm in Johannesburg on Friday, November 13, which is 7pm East Africa Time.

Has Kenya already qualified for AFCON 2027?

Yes. Kenya qualify automatically as co-hosts alongside Uganda and Tanzania, though they are still playing the Group D qualifiers.

Who is in Kenya’s group?

Group D contains South Africa, Guinea and Eritrea, plus Kenya. The remaining fixtures are in November 2026 and March 2027.

Where is the return leg?

The return is in Nairobi on November 17. The venue has not been confirmed in the reports reviewed.

Earlier coverage: Harambee Stars lose 1-0 to Guinea, Nyayo Stadium renovation stalls over the Sh984M bill and FKF Premier League 2026/27 results. Fixtures and rules are published by the Confederation of African Football.

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