South Africa’s Big Sporting Weekend: Bafana, Proteas, Springboks and Proteas Eye Major Wins
South African sport is set for a packed weekend, with Bafana Bafana, the Proteas, Springboks, SPAR Proteas and Ricardo “Magic Man” Malajika all involved in major international fixtures.
From the start of the AFCON 2027 qualifiers to a world title fight in Japan, here are the top sporting stories South African fans need to know.
- Bafana Bafana Begin AFCON 2027 Qualifying Against Guinea
A new era for Bafana Bafana officially begins on Saturday when South Africa hosts Guinea in their opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
The match takes place at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, with kick-off scheduled for 15:00.
It will be the first competitive assignment for newly appointed head coach Pitso Mosimane, who has taken over from Hugo Broos.
South Africa have been drawn in Group D, alongside Eritrea and Kenya. Kenya, as one of the three co-hosts of AFCON 2027 alongside Uganda and Tanzania, has already secured automatic qualification.
That leaves one additional qualifying place available in the group, making every point particularly important for Bafana.
After the Guinea clash, South Africa travel to Cairo to face Eritrea on 30 September, before meeting Egypt in a friendly on 4 October.
All eyes will be on Mosimane as he begins his competitive return to the Bafana dugout.
- Pink Day Returns as Proteas Face Australia at the Wanderers
The Proteas return to Johannesburg on Sunday for the second ODI against Australia, with the annual Pink Day fixture adding another dimension to an already highly anticipated contest.
South Africa arrive with confidence after winning the opening match in Durban by 67 runs.
Matthew Breetzke starred with the bat by scoring a century, while spinner Keshav Maharaj played a major role with four wickets.
The second match will be staged at the DP World Wanderers Stadium, with play scheduled to begin at 10:00.
Fans are encouraged to wear pink as the cricketing occasion once again supports breast cancer awareness. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Breast Care Unit at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital.
With Australia looking to level the three-match series, the Wanderers clash promises another significant chapter in the rivalry.
- Springboks Make Major Changes for One-Off Australia Test
The Springboks head to Perth on Sunday for a one-off Test against Australia, with coach Rassie Erasmus making sweeping changes to his starting lineup.
South Africa enter the match after defeating New Zealand 43-28 in Baltimore to complete a 3-1 series victory in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry.
Erasmus has made 13 changes to the starting XV, with only lock Eben Etzebeth and wing Ethan Hooker retaining their places.
Etzebeth is set to make history by earning his 147th Test cap, while André Esterhuizen will captain the Springboks for the first time, becoming the 68th player to lead South Africa.
There is also a milestone approaching for Jasper Wiese, who could earn his 50th Test cap from the replacements bench.
Handré Pollard returns at fly-half, with Herschel Jantjies named at scrum-half.
Australia have enjoyed a strong run of results, winning four of their last five Tests and drawing the other. The Wallabies will also have home advantage at Optus Stadium.
The Mandela Challenge Plate is on the line, while the match provides valuable preparation ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
Kick-off is at 11:45 South African time.
- SPAR Proteas Chase Sixth Africa Netball Cup Title
The SPAR Proteas will battle Uganda for continental honours when the two sides meet in the 2026 Africa Netball Cup final on Saturday.
The final is scheduled for 17:00 at the Moi International Sports Centre in Nairobi, Kenya.
South Africa reached the title decider after finishing top of Pool 1 with a perfect record of four wins from four matches. Their campaign included an impressive 55-33 victory over Namibia.
A late adjustment to the tournament format meant that the two unbeaten pool winners advanced directly to the final, removing the need for semi-final matches.
The defending champions, coached by Jenny van Dyk and captained by Kamogelo Maseko, will now attempt to retain their continental crown against Uganda’s She Cranes.
South Africa’s Big Sporting Weekend: Bafana, Proteas, Springboks and Proteas Eye Major Wins (Graphic: SizaNazo365 | Image: SAFA.net, SARU, NSA, CSA, WBC)
- Ricardo Malajika Takes Shot at WBC World Title in Japan
South African boxing fans will have another major international fight to follow on Sunday when Ricardo “Magic Man” Malajika challenges Japan’s Tomoya Tsuboi for the vacant WBC super-flyweight world title.
The championship bout takes place at Toyota Arena in Tokyo, marking Malajika’s first professional fight outside South Africa.
The Johannesburg-based fighter enters the contest with a record of 17 wins, two defeats and 12 knockouts. He is ranked No. 2 by the WBC and has held the IBO super-flyweight title since 2023, successfully defending it several times.
Malajika has also previously captured the IBO flyweight championship.
Standing across the ring will be Tsuboi, the WBC’s No. 1 contender and a highly regarded former amateur world champion. Despite having only a small professional record of around 3-0, the Japanese fighter will have the advantage of fighting in front of his home crowd.
The vacant WBC title became available following Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez’s departure from the championship.
For Malajika, the stakes could hardly be higher. The 28-year-old South African will be looking to produce a career-defining performance in Japan and return home with the prestigious WBC green belt.
A Huge Weekend for South African Sport
From Bafana Bafana’s AFCON 2027 qualification campaign and the Proteas’ Pink Day clash with Australia to the Springboks’ Perth Test, the SPAR Proteas’ continental final and Malajika’s world title opportunity, South African sport has plenty of major moments lined up.