Banyana Banyana are fine-tuning their preparations in Morocco ahead of their CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON 2026) opening match against Tanzania.
“We’ve had two sessions now trying to acclimatise to the heat as we are coming from a cold South Africa, but fortunately, for now, it’s not as hot as it was last year. We had really good sessions, and now we are looking forward to the rest of the week,” Head Coach, Dr Desiree Ellis said, on Tuesday.
The tournament will be staged in Morocco from 26 July to 16 August 2026, with South Africa drawn in Group B alongside Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Tanzania.
Banyana Banyana head coach, Dr Desiree Ellis, recently announced a final 26-player squad to represent South Africa at the continental showpiece.
The 2022 African champions will make their 14th appearance at the tournament.
According to the South African Football Association (SAFA), Ellis and her technical team have retained the core group of players who have featured for the senior women’s national team in recent matches.
Of the players selected, 17 were part of the WAFCON 2024 squad, while nine additions have been included for the upcoming competition: Katlego Moletsane, Isabella Ludwig, Asanda Hadebe, Antonia Maponya, Zoe October, Robyn Moodaly-Salgado, Nthabiseng Majiya, Thembi Kgatlana and Ronnel Donnelly.
Six players will make their tournament debuts: Moletsane, Hadebe, Maponya, Phila, Ludwig and October, with October the youngest member of the squad at 18.
“We have a nice mixture of youth and experience, and that was key in making our selection because while we have immediate goals, we still need to look beyond the tournament and not be found wanting.
“We are under no illusion that this competition will be tough, but we believe we have a balanced squad and are well prepared for what lies ahead of us,” Ellis said.
Ellis said the team’s immediate mission is to qualify for the World Cup.
“That means the focus for now is the opening game against Tanzania as it will set the tone for the tournament. We also depart with the full knowledge of the weight of expectations from all South Africans, and we promise not to disappoint,” Ellis said.
WAFCON 2026 kicks off on Sunday, with South Africa in action the following day, Monday, 27 July, when they face Tanzania in their opening game. They will then meet Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso in the group stage.
The top four nations will automatically qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil. -SAnews.gov.za
