Newly appointed Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos received a timely boost on Thursday as the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers were postponed until September due to the global Covid-19 pandemic.
The South African Football Association (SAFA) unveiled the 69-year-old Belgian on Wednesday as Molefi Nsteki's successor and he is scheduled to arrive in the country next week.
Bafana was set to travel to Zimbabwe to take on the Warriors in their opening Group G fixture on 5-8 June, before hosting group favourites Ghana, a week later, between 11-14 June.
The postponement will give Broos more time to familiarise himself with the South African players and choose his 23-man squad for the qualifiers before the rescheduled date in September.
"Due to disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the African #WCQ due to be played in June 2021 have been postponed," FIFA confirmed on Twitter.
"These 2022 #WorldCup qualifiers are now scheduled to take place in the existing windows of September, October and November 2021, and March 2022."
The World Cup will take place in Qatar for the first time as host of the prestigious global showpiece.
The tournament is scheduled to start on Monday, 21 November with final taking place on Sunday, 18 December.
?? Due to disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the African #WCQ due to be played in June 2021 have been postponed.?? These 2022 #WorldCup qualifiers are now scheduled to take place in the existing windows of September, October and November 2021, and March 2022.
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) May 6, 2021