Hugo Broos’ five-year journey with Bafana Bafana has officially come to an end after the Belgian tactician decided not to renew his contract with the South African Football Association (SAFA).
The 74-year-old leaves the national team after one of the most successful periods in recent Bafana Bafana history, having restored South Africa’s competitiveness on the continental stage and guided the country back to the FIFA World Cup.
Broos has decided to retire from professional coaching and spend more time with his family following the expiration of his contract at the end of July 2026.
Five Years That Changed Bafana Bafana
Broos took charge of South Africa in 2021 and inherited a national team attempting to rebuild following years of inconsistent results and missed major tournaments.
His approach centred heavily around developing a younger generation of players and building a consistent core capable of competing with Africa’s leading nations.
The results eventually followed.
Across his five-year tenure, Broos oversaw 60 matches, recording 29 victories, 19 draws and 12 defeats. Bafana scored 92 goals while conceding 62 during that period.
His biggest continental achievement arrived at the Africa Cup of Nations, where South Africa secured a bronze medal and re-established themselves among Africa’s leading national teams.
Broos Takes Bafana Back to the World Cup
Broos would later achieve another major objective by guiding South Africa back to the FIFA World Cup.
Bafana qualified for the 2026 tournament, ending a 24-year wait to qualify for the global showpiece through the qualification process.
South Africa then went a step further at the tournament by progressing beyond the group stage for the first time before their campaign eventually ended against Canada in the Round of 32.
It provided a fitting final major tournament for Broos and underlined the progress made during his five years in charge.
Broos Leaves With Impressive Record
His final Bafana Bafana record stands at:
60 matches
29 wins
19 draws
12 defeats
92 goals scored
62 goals conceded
Major achievements:
AFCON bronze medal
2026 FIFA World Cup qualification
2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32
Beyond the statistics, Broos leaves behind a national team that is once again expected to compete at major tournaments rather than simply qualify for them.
Could Broos Remain Involved With South African Football?
Although Broos has made it clear that his decision to step away from coaching is irreversible, his relationship with South African football may not necessarily be over.
The Belgian has held discussions with SAFA president Danny Jordaan about potentially remaining involved in a less demanding capacity.
A future position in scouting, technical development or an advisory role could allow SAFA to retain some of the knowledge and experience Broos accumulated during his five years with the national team.
Who Replaces Hugo Broos?
Attention now turns to one of SAFA’s biggest decisions in recent years: identifying the coach capable of continuing the project Broos leaves behind.
Pitso Mosimane has been widely linked with the position, although SAFA has yet to officially announce Broos’ successor.
Whoever takes over will inherit a very different Bafana Bafana from the one Broos encountered in 2021.
With the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers approaching, SAFA’s next appointment will be crucial in determining whether the momentum built during the Broos era can continue.