For the second year in a row the COSAFA Cup will kick-off with a clash between Eswatini and Botswana, though on this occasion it will be at the iconic Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha as the June 26-July 7 tournament gets under way.
The fixture at 15h00 CAT is a repeat of last year’s opener, where a goal from Lebogang Ditsele helped Botswana to a 1-0 win.
Hosts South Africa will meet Mozambique in the second Group A clash at the same venue, which has a 18h00 kick-off.
That is sure to be a feisty tie between the neighbours, and a fascinating fixture between two sides who love to attack.
Zimbabwe return to the prestigious regional showpiece competition for the first time since 2021 and open their Group B campaign against Comoros on June 27 (kick-off 15h00). That match will also be at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
There will be a heavyweight clash between record seven-time winners, and defending champions, Zambia when they take on East African guest nation Kenya on the same day at 18h00.
Kenya will be making their second COSAFA Cup appearance having debuted in 2013 when they went out in the pool stages.
Kenya will be the fifth highest ranked side in the tournament and have made a solid start to their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign with a win and two draws from their four games to date.
The first games in Group C are also at the iconic 2010 FIFA World Cup venue as last year’s beaten finalists Lesotho take on Seychelles at 15h00 and Angola face-off against Namibia at 18h00.
After those games the action will switch to the Wolfson Stadium until the final round of group games that are played simultaneously when the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium returns as a venue.
It will remain the tournament host through the semifinals (July 5), bronze-medal match and final (both July 7).
Full Fixtures
DATEKO TIMEGROUPFIXTUREVENUE26/0615h00AEswatini vs BotswanaNelson Mandela Bay Stadium26/0618h00ASouth Africa vs MozambiqueNelson Mandela Bay Stadium27/0615h00BComoros vs ZimbabweNelson Mandela Bay Stadium27/0618h00BZambia vs KenyaNelson Mandela Bay Stadium28/0615h00CLesotho vs SeychellesNelson Mandela Bay Stadium28/0618h00CAngola vs NamibiaNelson Mandela Bay Stadium29/0612h00AMozambique vs EswatiniWolfson Stadium29/0615h00ASouth Africa vs BotswanaWolfson Stadium30/0612h00BKenya vs ComorosWolfson Stadium30/0615h00BZambia vs ZimbabweWolfson Stadium01/0712h00CAngola vs SeychellesWolfson Stadium01/0715h00CNamibia vs LesothoWolfson Stadium02/0712h00BKenya vs ZimbabweWolfson Stadium02/0712h00BComoros vs ZambiaNelson Mandela Bay Stadium02/0715h00AMozambique vs BotswanaWolfson Stadium02/0715h00ASouth Africa vs EswatiniNelson Mandela Bay Stadium03/0715h00CNamibia vs SeychellesWolfson Stadium03/0715h00CLesotho vs AngolaNelson Mandela Bay Stadium