Amid off-field uncertainty, Banyana Banyana lean on team spirit to defend Wafcon crown

South Africa’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) title defence gets under way on Monday, 7 July 2025, against Ghana at the Honneur Stadium in Morocco.

Banyana Banyana have had a turbulent build-up to the tournament that includes player strikes due to fees not being paid, head coach Desiree Ellis heading up the role without a permanent contract, and long-term sponsor Sasol’s deal with the team ending as recently as the end of last month.

Despite the background turmoil, the side is confident of defending their continental crown.

“We are feeling good, and we are prepared,” defender Regina Mogolola said. “We know what it will take to defend our title, and we will have to work as a team — play for one another, support each other, fight for one another.

“Teamwork will win the day, unlike in tennis where you are on your own.”

It’s not the first time that the team had a sit-in before a major tournament. Before the 2023 Fifa World Cup, which was jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand, the team protested against the South African Football Association’s (Safa) handling of the preparation.

Despite this, the team united and had their best-ever showing at the tournament — having been knocked out at the round of 16.

They will need a similar coming together in order to overcome the challenges that await them in Morocco, as they did three years ago when they were crowned champions of Africa for the first time.

Experienced core

Mogolola comes back into the national fold after a seven-year hiatus. She was part of the Banyana Banyana side that finished as runners-up to Nigeria in 2018.

Banyana Banyana won’t have the reliable Thembi Kgatlana to rely on on the goalscoring front after the attacker withdrew from the side, citing personal reasons.

Kgatlana has been integral in Banyana’s previous tournament showings. The forward was instrumental in South Africa’s previous Wafcon success, as well as scoring the decisive extra-time goal in South Africa’s 3-2 group stage win over Italy to see the country reach the knockout stage of a World Cup for the first time, in 2023.

“It’s not easy not having Thembi here because she is a major force within the squad, but I think with what she’s left behind we’re going to do everything in our power to make her proud,” said Banyana goalkeeper Kaylin Swart.

Swart forms part of an experienced core that Ellis will rely on in the absence of Kgatlana, which includes captain Refiloe Jane, Jermaine Seoposenwe, Andile Dlamini, Hildah Magaia and Linda Motlhalo.

Black Queens

Apart from Ghana, South Africa’s opponents in Group C include Tanzania and Mali. However, Banyana’s first match is expected to be their most challenging.

Ghana have finished as runners-up at Wafcon on three occasions, and finished third three times too, the most recent being in 2016. Mali, in comparison, have only reached the final four once, in 2018, and it’s only the second time Tanzania have ever qualified for Wafcon.

The Black Queens’ most recent form has been up and down, winning three of their last seven friendly matches since April, with their most recent fixture being a 3-1 walloping at the hands of nine-time Wafcon champions Nigeria.

Since April they have also suffered defeats to Senegal and Ivory Coast.

“The Black Queens have represented Ghana in a number of tournaments in recent times. In terms of women’s football, the Black Queens are the biggest movers in terms of the Fifa rankings when it comes to Africa,” Tophic Kadir Sienu, senior manager in charge of communications at the Ghana FA, said recently.

“And so we are all hoping that when the African Cup starts, the Black Queens will be able to lift the flag of Ghana high, and we are very confident considering how they are preparing so far.”

South Africa are 54th on the Fifa rankings, with Nigeria the only African side ahead of them, at 36th. Ghana are the closest in terms of their Group C opponents, at 66th. DM