Hugo Broos has officially ended his five-year tenure as Bafana Bafana head coach, with the Belgian coach confirming that he will not renew his contract with the South African Football Association (SAFA).
The 74-year-old made the announcement in Johannesburg on Friday, as his contract with SAFA came to an end.
Broos said his decision was driven by the difficulty of spending long periods away from his family and was not related to his relationship with the team or the association.
“The lonely moments being away from my family made me reach this decision today and that is the only reason why I leave Bafana,” Broos said.
He thanked the people he worked with and South African supporters for their backing throughout his time in charge.
Broos leaves after a successful spell that saw Bafana Bafana regain their status as one of Africa’s competitive national teams. He guided South Africa to a third-place finish at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and helped the team qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
At the 2026 World Cup, Bafana reached the knockout stages for the first time in the country’s history before being eliminated by Canada.
During his tenure, Broos oversaw 60 international matches, recording 29 victories, 19 draws and 12 defeats.
SAFA president Danny Jordaan paid tribute to Broos for his contribution to the national team and the development of a new generation of players.
Jordaan said Broos had shown vision and determination in selecting players who were relatively unknown when he took over but went on to establish themselves as key members of the national team.
SAFA is now expected to begin the process of finding Broos’ successor.
The association’s National Executive is scheduled to meet next Saturday, with the appointment of a new Bafana Bafana coach expected to be high on the agenda.
Broos’ departure marks the end of a period in which South Africa secured major milestones on the continental and global stages, including its historic first appearance in a World Cup knockout round.