South Africa vs Kenya Prediction: Bafana Bafana Host Benni McCarthy’s Harambee Stars at Orlando, 13 November 2026
South Africa vs Kenya kicks off at 18:00 South African time on Friday 13 November 2026 at Orlando Amstel Arena in Soweto. Bafana Bafana top Group D of the AFCON 2027 qualifiers with two wins from two under Pitso Mosimane, and they face a Kenya side coached by Benni McCarthy, Bafana’s all-time record goalscorer. South Africa are unbeaten in open play in four previous meetings with Kenya. We have not published a pick yet: our predictions board had no pick for this game when we checked on 11 November, and it will be added there and graded in public like every other.
South Africa vs Kenya: kick-off, venue and TV
The South African Football Association lists the game for Friday 13 November at Orlando Amstel Arena with an 18:00 kick-off. SuperSport’s schedule shows 17:50, which is when its broadcast starts. The return game is in Nairobi four days later.
| Detail | South Africa v Kenya | Kenya v South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| Date | Friday 13 November 2026 | Tuesday 17 November 2026 |
| Kick-off in South Africa | 18:00 SAST | 18:00 SAST (19:00 in Nairobi) |
| Venue | Orlando Amstel Arena, Soweto | Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi |
| Competition | AFCON 2027 qualifiers, Group D | |
| TV in South Africa | SuperSport, coverage from 17:50 | To be confirmed |
| Tickets | R100 adults and R40 children aged 5 to 12 through Ticketpro, gates from 15:00, as announced in October | Not checked |
Group D table and what is at stake
The table below is our own arithmetic from the four results reported so far. South Africa beat Guinea 2-1 at this same ground and beat Eritrea 5-0 in Egypt. Kenya lost 1-0 to Guinea and drew 1-1 with Eritrea.
| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7-1 | 6 |
| Guinea | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2-2 | 3 |
| Kenya | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1-2 | 1 |
| Eritrea | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1-6 | 1 |
Kenya have already qualified for the finals as co-hosts with Uganda and Tanzania, so the remaining place from this group goes to the highest finisher among South Africa, Guinea and Eritrea. That changes the arithmetic: Bafana are not racing Kenya, they are racing Guinea, who are three points behind. Two wins this week would take South Africa to 12 points before the trip to Guinea in March. Mosimane has said these two games will decide his side’s fate before that trip. The full schedule is in our guide to AFCON 2027 qualifiers Group D.
South Africa vs Kenya head to head
South Africa and Kenya have met four times. Bafana won three and the other finished 1-1 in 2002, when Kenya won the penalty shootout. So Bafana have never lost to Kenya in open play. Two cautions apply. Four games is a small sample, and none of them involved a Kenya side coached by someone who knows South African football as well as McCarthy does.
| Measure | Record |
|---|---|
| Meetings | 4 |
| South Africa wins | 3 |
| Draws | 1 (1-1 in 2002, Kenya won on penalties) |
| Kenya wins in open play | 0 |
Team news: Bafana Bafana and Harambee Stars
South Africa
Mosimane cut his preliminary group to a final squad on 5 November. Defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi and midfielder Thalente Mbatha return after missing the September camp through injury, and Siyanda Ndlovu is a new call-up. The two names to watch are captain Ronwen Williams and midfielder Teboho Mokoena. Both were included despite fitness concerns and were due late tests after Mamelodi Sundowns’ CAF Super Cup game, so check the confirmed line-up before kick-off. Bafana have won every game of Mosimane’s second spell, including a 1-0 friendly win over Egypt in Cairo, and climbed to 48th in the FIFA ranking. Our earlier look at Mosimane’s squad and shape has the background.
Kenya
McCarthy named a provisional squad of 36 that includes striker Michael Olunga and defender Joseph Okumu. Gor Mahia midfielder Alpha Onyango is recalled and defender Sylvester Owino is back from injury. No Kenyan injuries were reported in the sources we checked. Kenya have one point from two games and have scored once, but qualification is not on the line for them, which removes some pressure and makes them harder to read.
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South Africa vs Kenya prediction: where our pick stands
Our predictions board had no South Africa vs Kenya pick when we checked it on 11 November 2026, so there is no confidence figure to publish yet. When the pick goes up it will appear on today’s predictions and on this page, and it will be graded after full time, win or lose.
What the record does show is how our model has rated Bafana in this group so far.
| Group D game | Our pick | Result | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa v Guinea | South Africa win, 58 percent | 2-1 | WON |
| Eritrea v South Africa | South Africa win, 74 percent | 0-5 | WON |
| South Africa v Kenya | Not yet published | 13 November | PENDING |
Three things will shape the pick. Home advantage is real here: Bafana beat Guinea at this ground in September. Kenya have scored one goal in two qualifiers. And the draw is the trap, because on our record a draw counts as a loss for a win pick. If you want cover against it, our guides to draw no bet and double chance explain what each market costs.
South Africa vs Kenya FAQs
What time is South Africa vs Kenya?
South Africa vs Kenya kicks off at 18:00 South African time on Friday 13 November 2026. SuperSport’s coverage starts at 17:50.
Where is Bafana Bafana vs Kenya being played?
The game is at Orlando Amstel Arena in Soweto, Johannesburg. The return game is at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi on Tuesday 17 November 2026.
Who coaches Kenya?
Kenya are coached by Benni McCarthy, the former Bafana Bafana striker and South Africa’s all-time record goalscorer.
Have Kenya already qualified for AFCON 2027?
Yes. Kenya qualify automatically as co-hosts with Uganda and Tanzania. The other qualifying place from Group D goes to the highest finisher among South Africa, Guinea and Eritrea.
What is the South Africa vs Kenya head-to-head record?
The teams have met four times. South Africa won three and one game ended 1-1 in 2002, when Kenya won on penalties.
What is your South Africa vs Kenya prediction?
We had not published a pick when this page was checked on 11 November 2026. It will be added to our predictions board before kick-off and graded in public after the match.
Read next
- Bafana Bafana hub: fixtures, results and our record
- AFCON 2027 qualifiers Group D: who qualifies
- South Africa vs Guinea: the 2-1 win and how our pick graded
- Nigeria Super Eagles: AFCON 2027 qualifying table and fixtures
- Springboks vs France, also on Friday night: kick-off time and team
- Licensed South African betting sites, reviewed
- Responsible gambling and where to get help
Written by Carlson Dze Meh. Predictions are opinions based on data, not guarantees, and are not betting advice. 18+ only. Betting involves risk and you can lose money, so never stake more than you can afford to lose. Free and confidential help is available from the South African National Responsible Gambling Programme on 0800 006 008, 24 hours a day. See our responsible gambling page.