South Africa’s Bafana vs Eritrea: Facts you probably didn’t know

Two nations, one ticket, and a fixture that has never happened before. On Wednesday, 30 September, South Africa’s Bafana Bafana and Eritrea finally share a pitch, meeting at Cairo’s Al-Salam Stadium in Group D of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers (kick-off 18:00 SAST, 19:00 EAT).

Bafana Bafana arrive buoyed by a 2-1 win over Guinea in Pitso Mosimane’s first game back in charge.

The grind continues as Bafana Bafana 🇿🇦 are getting ready for their Match against Eritrea on Wednesday at the Al-Salam Stadium in Cairo, Egypt. The match will kick off at 18:00.#BafanaPride @StandardBankZA @adidasZA @HonorAfrica @SABC_Sport @REXONA_SA @NUTRITECHFIT @socios… pic.twitter.com/qYNz1MhaxV

— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) September 28, 2026

Eritrea arrive with a hard-earned point from their draw with Kenya and nothing to lose. With co-hosts Kenya already through, only one place is up for grabs among the other three. Every goal counts, and every slip could be fatal. Five things you probably didn’t know

1. This is their first-ever meeting

South Africa and Eritrea have never faced each other in a competitive match. Wednesday’s game writes the opening line of a brand-new head-to-head record, so the winner owns the bragging rights outright, at least until the return fixture in South Africa next March.

2. Eritrea’s “home” game is in Egypt

Eritrea does not have a stadium approved by CAF, so their home fixture was moved to neutral Cairo, roughly 1,800 km from Asmara.

South Africa benefit too: they stay in Cairo afterwards to face Egypt on 4 October.

3. Both nations were reborn a year apart

Eritrea became formally independent in May 1993 after a 30-year liberation struggle. South Africa held its first democratic elections in April 1994.

Their football followed: South Africa was readmitted to FIFA in 1992 after years of apartheid-era isolation, while Eritrea joined FIFA in 1998.

4. Their stories meet at the birth of AFCON

South Africa was one of the four founding members of CAF in 1957, alongside Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia, but was thrown out of the first AFCON for refusing to field a multiracial team.

Five years later, Ethiopia won the 1962 title captained by Luciano Vassallo, who was born in Asmara, now Eritrea’s capital. One nation was shut out of Africa’s first tournament; a son of the other lifted the trophy.

5. A 130-place gap, and a comeback story

South Africa sit 54th in the FIFA rankings; Eritrea are 184th. Yet Eritrea are back in AFCON qualifying for the first time since the 2008 edition, having earned their place by beating Eswatini 4-1 on aggregate in the preliminary round.

South Africa played at the 2026 World Cup; Eritrea have never reached an AFCON finals. Wednesday will show whether the gap is as wide as it looks.