by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Pitso Mosimane names South Africa squad to start 2027 qualifiers

South Africa’s coach, Pitso Mosimane, has named a 30-player squad for the upcoming qualifiers against Guinea and Eritrea, along with a friendly match against Egypt.

Key players include Ronwen Williams, Teboho Mokoena, Lyle Foster, and Shandre Campbell.

Bafana Bafana will play their AFCON qualifier against Guinea at Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg on 26 September 2026, marking Mosimane’s first match as head coach.

They will then face Eritrea in Cairo on 30 September and end with a friendly against Egypt on 4 October.

SAFA President Dr Danny Jordaan encourages families and fans to support the team during this new era. More squad updates will come as the match approaches.

Pitso Mosimane names South Africa squad to start 2027 qualifiers
Pitso Mosimane names South Africa squad to start 2027 qualifiers
Dortmund striker Leads Guinea’s 25-Man Squad To Face Bafana
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Dortmund striker Leads Guinea’s 25-Man Squad To Face Bafana

Serhou Guirassy from Borussia Dortmund heads Guinea’s 25-man team for their matches against South Africa. Coach Paulo Duarte has named his first official squad for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.


The Syli Nationale will play in South Africa on September 26 and in Kenya on October 1 as part of the qualifiers for the 2027 AFCON. Coach Paulo Duarte shared that Naby Keïta will be absent from the team.

Duarte took charge of the team in 2025. After missing out on the 2025 AFCON and the 2026 FIFA World Cup, he is now focusing on the upcoming tournament.

Guirassy has had a strong start to the season, scoring four goals and providing two assists in five matches for his club.

The squad features many players based in Europe, including Ibrahim Diakite, who plays for Cercle Brugge and recently became teammates with Luke Le Roux, who joined from Portsmouth.

Other key players include Ilaix Moriba, who was trained at La Masia and now plays for Celta Vigo in La Liga. Mouctar Diakhaby from Valencia will miss the games due to an injury, and Naby Keita, a former Liverpool midfielder, is also not in the final squad.

See Guinea’s final 25-Man Squad Below:

Goalkeepers : Soumaila Sylla (Reims), Mory Keita (Hafia FC), Mohamed Camara (Mechal Sport)

Defenders : Sékou Sylla (Den Haag), Mohamed Soumah (Sirius), Ibrahim Breze Fofana (Hammarby), Mory Konaté (Al Hazem), Saidou Sow (Nantes), Aboubacar Keita (Kalmar FF), Ibrahim Diakité (Cercle Brugge)

Midfielders : Madiou Keita (Västerås), Lass Kourouna (Girona), Seydouba Cissé (Al Kholood), Ilaix Moriba (Celta Vigo), Ousmane Diabaté (Gençlerbirligi), Ibrahima Sory Bangoura (Genk)

Forwards : Morlaye Sylla (Damac), Aguibou Camara (Ludogorets), Diaby Yadaly (Vancouver Whitecaps), Aliou Badara Baldé (Saint-Gall), Mohamed Saliou Bangoura (MC Alger), Ousmane Camara (GZ Power), Serhou Guirassy (Dortmund), Abdoul Traoré (OH Leuven), Lamine Diaby-Fadiga (Raków)

Malawian Defender Jubril Okedina
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Malawian Defender Jubril Okedina signs for Barnsley

Barnsley has signed Jubril Okedina, a 25-year-old Malawian defender, on a one-year deal with an option for another year.

He joins the team immediately after playing for Bohemian FC in the League of Ireland and has over 100 appearances with Cambridge United, mostly in Sky Bet League One.

Okedina brings important defensive skills as the EFL season starts. He has played 138 times for Cambridge and began his career at Tottenham Hotspur.

After signing, Okedina said he knows League One well and wants to use his experience to help the team succeed.

Head Coach Daniel Stendel said he is happy to welcome Okedina to strengthen the defence and that he has fit in quickly after training with the team.

Malian International midfielder Yves Bissouma to join Ajax
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Malian International midfielder Yves Bissouma to join Ajax

Ex-Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma is close to joining Ajax on a deal until the end of the season.

The 30-year-old defensive midfielder is a free agent after leaving Spurs and is set to return to football in the Netherlands.

Bissouma has agreed to a deal that runs until the end of the season, with an option to extend for another year.

He is currently in Amsterdam to finalise his move to Ajax. Bissouma joined Tottenham in 2022 and played 111 games for the team after moving from Brighton.

In August 2025, Spurs manager Thomas Frank did not include Bissouma in the squad for a UEFA Super Cup match against Paris Saint-Germain due to his repeated lateness.

In his final season at Tottenham, Bissouma made 11 appearances, all in the Premier League, as the team finished 17th for the second year in a row.

by Alie Bittar @bittar32

CAF Champions League Set for Decisive Second-Round Battles

Debutante Star Sport Academy from Sierra Leone is among a strong list of top teams in the CAF Champions League 2026/27, looking for a breakthrough as the Second Preliminary Round starts next month.

Having knocked out Medina United of The Gambia, the Sierra Leone side are in the midst of strong clubs from Africa competing for 16 spots in the group stage.

The first legs will take place from 16-18 October, and the return matches are scheduled for 23-25 October. The winners will move on to the group stage starting at the end of November.

Defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns will face Angola’s Wiliete Sport Clube de Benguela, who recently won 5-0 on aggregate against Foresters FC. Egyptian club Zamalek, after a 6-1 aggregate win over AS Port of Djibouti, will meet Rwanda’s APR FC, who advanced with a 3-1 aggregate score.

Four-time champions Espérance will compete against Libya’s Al-Swehly, while Pyramids FC, coming off a 7-1 aggregate win, will take on South Sudan’s El Merriekh Bentiu.

Tanzania’s Simba SC, who beat Mighty Wanderers 7-1, will face Nigerian champions Rangers, who advanced on penalties against AS Sobemap of Benin. In DR Congo, TP Mazembe will play Tunisia’s Club Africain, while MC Alger faces FC San Pedro and MAS de Fès takes on ASEC Mimosas.

South Africa’s Orlando Pirates will continue against Namibia’s African Stars after defeating La Cure Waves 3-1. RS Berkane will begin their campaign against Star Sport Academy of Sierra Leone, and Al Hilal Omdurman will meet Ethiopia’s Sidama Bunna.

One match remains, with Equatorial Guinea’s 15 de Agosto leading 4-0 against Fomboni FC. The return leg is on 3 October, with the winner facing Simba SC.

The Second Preliminary Round will be a crucial test as teams pursue Africa’s top club prize and the USD 6 million awarded to the winners. CAF will also provide USD 100,000 to teams eliminated in the preliminary rounds to assist with expenses.

Second Preliminary Round fixtures – First legs: 16-18 October 2026 | Return legs: 23-25 October 2026

  • African Stars (Namibia) vs Orlando Pirates (South Africa)
  • APR FC (Rwanda) vs Zamalek (Egypt)
  • Al-Swehly (Libya) vs Espérance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia)
  • CFFA (Madagascar) vs Young Africans (Tanzania)
  • El Merriekh Bentiu (South Sudan) vs Pyramids FC (Egypt)
  • Horoya AC (Guinea) vs Al-Merriekh (Sudan)
  • Maghreb Fès (Morocco) vs ASEC Mimosas (Côte d’Ivoire)
  • TP Mazembe (DR Congo) vs Club Africain (Tunisia)
  • Rangers International (Nigeria) vs MC Alger (Algeria)
  • San Pedro (Côte d’Ivoire) vs Nouadhibou (Mauritania)
  • Scotland FC (Zimbabwe) vs Petro Atlético (Angola)
  • Sidama Bunna (Ethiopia) vs Al-Hilal Omdurman (Sudan)
  • Star Sport Academy (Sierra Leone) vs RS Berkane (Morocco)
  • Teungueth FC (Senegal) vs Colombe Sportive (Cameroon)
  • Wiliete (Angola) vs Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
  • Simba (Tanzania) vs 15 de Agosto (GNQ) or Fomboni FC (COM)