The veteran Belgian leaves after guiding Bafana Bafana to their first World Cup knockout appearance and restoring the team’s status as one of Africa’s leading football nations.
Johannesburg, South Africa (Running Africa) — Hugo Broos has confirmed he will step down as head coach of South Africa’s Bafana Bafana, bringing to an end a transformative five-year tenure that restored the national team’s competitiveness and delivered its best-ever FIFA World Cup performance.
The 74-year-old Belgian had announced before the 2026 FIFA World Cup that the tournament would be his final assignment in management. Although he briefly considered remaining in charge following South Africa’s Round of 32 exit to co-hosts Canada, Broos said he has now made the decision to retire from coaching.
Speaking about his departure, Broos said he no longer wanted football to dominate his everyday life after decades on the touchline.
His departure marks the end of one of the most successful coaching spells in modern South African football.
Appointed in 2021, Broos inherited a national team that had failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup since hosting the tournament in 2010. He quickly rebuilt the squad, introducing a disciplined playing style and placing renewed faith in emerging local talent.
Under his leadership, Bafana Bafana enjoyed a resurgence on the continental stage, securing a third-place finish at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations before making history by reaching the Round of 32 at the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup.
South Africa’s World Cup campaign ended with a narrow 1-0 defeat to Canada, but the team’s performances were widely praised as evidence of the progress made under Broos and a sign of renewed optimism for the future of South African football.
Broos also revealed that the South African Football Association (SAFA) has offered him an advisory role, allowing him to remain involved in the development of the national team after his coaching career.
Discussions over the position are expected to take place later this month when Broos returns to South Africa for an official farewell.
His legacy leaves South African football in a far stronger position than when he arrived, having restored belief within the national team and laid a foundation that supporters will hope to build upon in future FIFA World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations campaigns.
