Head coach of the South African U17 Women’s National Team, Ntombifuthi Khumalo, says securing an away win against Tanzania will be vital as Bantwana continue their journey in the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers.
South Africa will face Tanzania in the first leg of the second-round qualifiers on Saturday, 23 May 2026, at the New Aman Stadium in Zanzibar, with kickoff scheduled for 16h00 SA time.
Bantwana travelled to Tanzania earlier this week and have completed several training sessions as part of their final preparations ahead of the encounter. Khumalo believes her squad is fully prepared and determined to claim maximum points away from home.
The qualifiers are all about winning. If you lose a game, you run the risk of being knocked out. It is very important for us to get maximum points here in Zanzibar and put ourselves in a better position ahead of the second leg at home. An away victory would give us a strong advantage going into the return fixture. We do not have injuries and I believe the team is ready, said Khumalo.
South Africa advanced directly to the second round after the Central African Republic withdrew from the qualifiers, denying Bantwana an opportunity to gain competitive minutes in the opening stage.
Tanzania, meanwhile, booked their place in the second round after overcoming Botswana across two legs, setting up an exciting clash against the South Africans.
The return leg between the two sides is scheduled for Sunday, 31 May 2026, in South Africa, while the third and final qualifying round will take place in July.
A total of 24 nations will compete at the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, with Africa allocated five places, including hosts Morocco. Twenty teams from other confederations have already secured qualification, leaving Africa’s remaining representatives still to be decided.