Sasol Banyana Banyana head coach Dr Desiree Ellis has unveiled the final 26-player squad that will represent South Africa at the 2026 CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco from 26 July to 16 August.
After trimming an initial 31-player preliminary squad, Ellis confirmed her final selection on Friday, with Bonolo Mokoma, Cimone Sauls, Sinegugu Zondi, Shakira O’Malley and Tiisetso Makhubela missing out on the continental showpiece.
It is never easy choosing the squad for any tournament, but it is something that has to be done and unfortunately, we cannot take all the players with us. Bringing down the squad to 31 was very difficult, but even more so to come up with the final 26, said Ellis.
We are satisfied with the selection we made, and we have complete faith that they will deliver on the mandate.
The experienced coach also thanked the South African Football Association (SAFA), sponsors Sasol, the team’s partners and supporters for their continued backing ahead of the tournament.
The squad retains the core of the team that has featured prominently in recent international fixtures. Seventeen players were part of the 2024 WAFCON campaign, while nine players strengthen the group for this year’s tournament, including Katlego Moletsane, Isabella Ludwig, Asanda Hadebe, Antonia Maponya, Zoe October, Robyn Moodaly-Salgado, Nthabiseng Majiya and the returning Thembi Kgatlana.
Moodaly-Salgado returns to the national team after last featuring in 2023, while Ronnel Donnelly earns a recall after being absent from recent selections despite being part of the squad that finished fourth at the previous tournament.
Six players are set to make their WAFCON debuts: Moletsane, Hadebe, Maponya, Phila, Ludwig and 18-year-old Zoe October, who is the youngest member of the squad.
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,Ellis explained.
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.
South Africa head into Morocco as defending African champions after lifting the title in 2022. The tournament also carries added significance, with qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil at stake.
Drawn in Group B, Banyana Banyana will face Tanzania, Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso, with all their group-stage matches taking place at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca.
The mission is clear, qualify for the World Cup and then we see how far we go,Ellis said.
And 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.
South Africa begin their title defence against Tanzania on 26 July before taking on Côte d’Ivoire four days later. They conclude their group campaign against Burkina Faso, with all three fixtures scheduled for Casablanca.
Speaking during the squad announcement and send-off ceremony in Johannesburg, SAFA Vice-President Anastasia Tsichlas praised the team’s impact on women’s football in South Africa.
This occasion also celebrates the incredible journey that Banyana Banyana has undertaken over the past decade. They have become one of the most successful national teams on the continent, changing perceptions of women’s football and inspiring a new generation of young girls to believe that they too can one day wear the green and gold,she said.
Today’s send-off is more than a farewell; it is a celebration of a team that has inspired a nation. As the 2022 WAFCON champions, they travel to Morocco carrying the hopes of millions of South Africans and they do so with the full support of SAFA, the government, our partners, football stakeholders and an entire nation united behind them.
The squad departs for Morocco on Saturday, 18 July, with overseas-based players Thembi Kgatlana, Amogelang Motau, Linda Motlhalo and Bongeka Gamede joining the team upon arrival.