Banyana Banyana are adapting well to their new surroundings in Casablanca, Morocco, ahead of the 2026 CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), which will be held from 26 July to 16 August.
The 2022 African champions arrived on Sunday and have already completed two intensive training sessions as they prepare for their opening Group D match against Tanzania next Monday. The group also includes Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso.
“It was a long journey, but we’ve had two sessions now trying to acclimatise to the heat, as we are coming from a cold South Africa. Fortunately, it’s not as hot as it was last year.
“We’ve had really good sessions and are now looking forward to the rest of the week,” said head coach Dr Desiree Ellis.
Banyana Banyana are making their 14th appearance at the continental tournament and boast an experienced squad that includes Thembi Kgatlana, Amogelang Motau (both based in Mexico), Bongeka Gamede (Denmark) and Linda Motlhalo (Scotland).
“It’s very exciting to have them here. We have sat down with them to show them what we worked on last week and to continue with our preparations.
“With only a few days to go, we need to ensure that everyone understands what we need to do,” Ellis said.
Seventeen players from the 2024 WAFCON squad have been retained, while nine new players have been included for the tournament.
Midfielder Robyn Moodaly-Salgado, who last featured for Banyana Banyana in 2023 following the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, said she was delighted to return to the national team.
“Obviously, I haven’t been here for a while, so I’m really excited to be back wearing the national team colours.
“I’m ecstatic. It’s a new year, with new expectations and new goals. We want to qualify for the World Cup, and we want to bring the trophy home again,” she said.
The top four teams at WAFCON 2026 will automatically qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, with Ellis saying the team’s immediate focus is on making a strong start against Tanzania.
“That means our focus is on the opening game against Tanzania because it will set the tone for the tournament, and we promise not to disappoint,” Ellis added.
