Can Banyana Banyana defend their Wafcon title?
The 2025 Wafcon takes place from July 5 to 26.
Banyana will play their opening game against Ghana on Monday, then meet Tanzania next Friday and go against Mali in the last fixture of the group stages on July 14.
However, the team faced some setbacks in their preparations, with players embarking on a two-day strike due to unpaid match fees last weekend and Sasol pulling out as a sponsor.
They go into this tournament with one of their key players, Thembi Kgatlana, not available due to personal reasons.
The team are also adjusting to the intense heat in Morocco, but midfielder Regina Mogolola remains confident they will succeed.
'We are feeling good and we are prepared,' she 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. So, teamwork will win the day, unlike in tennis where you are on your own.'
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TimesLIVE
8 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
Can Banyana Banyana defend their Wafcon title?
The Banyana Banyana squad is set to defend their Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) title, which they won in Morocco in 2022. The 2025 Wafcon takes place from July 5 to 26. Banyana will play their opening game against Ghana on Monday, then meet Tanzania next Friday and go against Mali in the last fixture of the group stages on July 14. However, the team faced some setbacks in their preparations, with players embarking on a two-day strike due to unpaid match fees last weekend and Sasol pulling out as a sponsor. They go into this tournament with one of their key players, Thembi Kgatlana, not available due to personal reasons. The team are also adjusting to the intense heat in Morocco, but midfielder Regina Mogolola remains confident they will succeed. 'We are feeling good and we are prepared,' she 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. So, teamwork will win the day, unlike in tennis where you are on your own.'

IOL News
14 hours ago
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Banyana Banyana, Amajita's conquests hinged on resilience, yet systemic reform is vital
On top of the world Banyana Banyana players celebrate with the trophy after beating Morroco in the final of the last Women's Africa Cup of Nations. Photo: BackpagePix On the landscape of South African football, the tale of triumph and resilience continues to captivate and inspire following Banyana Banyana and Amajita's conquests in Africa despite significant challenges. As a result of inadequate financial backing, high operational costs, player bonuses, staff salaries, infrastructure limitations and a lack of proper training facilities all combine to hinder a team's success. These systemic issues strip away the potential for continuous success and leave players reliant on their inner fortitude. South African teams exhibit admirable tenacity and spirit. However, their future success may depend more on comprehensive structural reforms rather than the sheer determination of the players. In May 2025, South Africa's U-20 men's team clinched their maiden AFCON title through a narrow 1-0 win against Morocco in hostile Cairo. This hard-fought triumph was not only about talent but also about rising above problems along their journey. The success of Banyana, particularly evident with their 2022 AFCON win, brings a glimmer of hope but also an urgent call to action. For South Africa to sustain its success in the international football arena, especially for future tournaments, the football fraternity must champion the need for reforms. This includes ensuring equitable distribution of funding and increasing transparency in financial management across all levels of play. Banyana are in Morocco, gearing up for a crucial title defence in the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON). Their championship campaign kicks off on Monday with a high-stakes match against Ghana. However, days before their first game, the team found themselves compelled to stage a protest in a bid to draw attention to outstanding fees owed to them. Players voiced their frustration over unpaid bonuses and allowances, issues that have cast a shadow over their preparations. While the resilience of players is commendable, it should not be the primary foundation upon which the team's success rests. The ongoing victories might resonate with national pride, yet they are often interpreted as a celebration of player grit rather than an affirmation of a well-oiled sporting structure. The story of Banyana and their victory serves as a reminder that the status quo cannot be sustainable if South Africa is to emerge as a football powerhouse. Implementing effective reforms will be essential not only for the national teams but for the entire football community, fostering an environment where talent can thrive without the incessant fear of operational shortcomings. At the core of the systemic shortcomings in national football lies the persistent struggle to attract substantial sponsorship. This dilemma speaks volumes about the sport's governance and the challenges that underpin its daily operations. No wonder football comes under fire regularly. The dream of a powerhouse South African football narrative is not just aspirational; it is attainable with the right concerted efforts aimed at stabilising the sport's financial and operational integrity. For the future of football in South Africa, embracing change is no longer an option—it is a necessity.


Daily Maverick
a day ago
- Daily Maverick
Amid off-field uncertainty, Banyana Banyana lean on team spirit to defend Wafcon crown
South Africa face off against Ghana in their Women's Africa Cup of Nations opener on Monday. 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