# South Africa women's national soccer team

The South Africa women's national football team, nicknamed Banyana Banyana (The Girls), is the national team of South Africa and is controlled by the South African Football Association.
South Africa competed in two Olympic Games, two FIFA Women's World Cups, and 14 Women's African Cup of Nations, where they were runners up five times before winning once. They also competed at all 10 COSAFA Women's Championships, where they won seven times, came second twice and finished in fourth place once.

## History

Banyana Banyana's first official match was held on 30 May 1993 against Eswatini, which they won 14–0. Future Women's AFCON winning coach Desiree Ellis played in that game and scored three of the goals
Their first international match outside of Africa was against China. They played two matches which they lost 8-0 and 13–0 with the latter being the heaviest defeat in their history. The team's first victory over a nation outside of Africa was in 2000, where they beat Scotland by 2–0. This was at the Cyrus Women's Cup.
South Africa's biggest win came in a COSAFA Women's Championship match in Gqeberha on 31 July 2019, when they beat the Comoros 17–0. Captain Refiloe Jane scored 4 of the goals.

### Olympic Games

They qualified for Olympic football for the first time in 2012, with coach Joseph Mkhonza. Their second Olympic participation was at 2016's Rio Olympics, under coach Vera Pauw.

### Women's Africa Cup of Nations

Banyana appeared in 14 CAF Women's Championships (Now known as Women's AFCON) and were runners up on five occasions (1995, 2000, 2008, 2012 and 2018) and third at two events (2006 and 2010), before eventually winning their first Women's Africa Cup of Nations in 2022, beating Morocco 2–1 in the final.

### FIFA Women's World Cup

Coached by Desiree Ellis, they qualified for their first FIFA Women's World Cup in 2019, in Group B with Germany, Spain and China. However, they lost all matches, and their only goal was against Spain when they went to a 1–0 lead only to lose 3–1.
South Africa qualified for the FIFA Women's World Cup again in 2023, also coached by Desiree Ellis. During the group stages they lost 2–1 to Sweden after leading 1–0, drew 2–2 against Argentina after leading 2–0, but finally defeated Italy 3–2 and advanced to the Round of 16 for the very first time. They eventually lost 2–0 to the Netherlands. Following the team's performance, Desiree Ellis would win the 2023 award for CAF Women's Coach of the Year.
The top goal scorers at world cups are Thembi Kgatlana with 3, Hildah Magaia with 2, while Linda Motlhalo also scored one. South Africa's other goal was an own goal by Italy in 2023.

### COSAFA Women's Championship

South Africa competed in all eleven COSAFA Women's Championships - a tournament featuring nations from the Southern African region - since its inception in 2002. They have won seven titles (in 2002, 2006, 2008, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020), finished second twice (in 2011 and 2022) and only failed to win a medal twice, when they finished fourth in 2021 and exited in the group stages 2023.
In later years, because of South Africa's success and increased participation in bigger world events, management started sending newcomers to COSAFA tournaments, to broaden their talent pool. This contributed to a decline in Banyana Banyana's dominance at this event.

## Team image
### Nicknames

The South Africa women's national football team has been known or nicknamed as the "Banyana Banyana", which literally translates to "Girls Girls", but such double use is often interpreted to mean "all the girls". In the context of sport, it is also understood to mean "go girls, go girls".
This name is derived from the Senior Men's National team being "Bafana Bafana" which also literally means "the boys the boys". The nickname came into existence from fans shouting "bafana bafana" to mean "go boys, go boys" as encouragement during the South Africa men's team's first international game after many years of sporting isolation due to Apartheid policies in 1992, when they beat Cameroon 1–0 in Durban. The name stuck, and the female form was later applied to the women's team as well.

## Results and fixtures

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

### Legend

Win  Draw  Loss  Fixture

### 2025
## Coaching staff
### Current coaching staff

| Position | Name |
| Head coach | Desiree Ellis |
| Assistant coach | Thinasonke Mbuli |
| Goalkeeper Coach | Cameron Cox |
| Performance Analyst | Shilene Booysen |
| Physical Trainer | Ridhaa Allie |
| Kit Manager | Evah Mokwape |
Technical staff
| Role | Name | Start date |
| General Manager | Lauren Duncan | January 2016 |

### Manager history

All-time Banyana Banyana coaching records :
| Coach | Nat. | Tenure |
| Sandile Bali | South Africa | 1995 |
| Nomalungelo Mooi | South Africa | 1998 |
| Fran Hilton-Smith | South Africa | 2000 |
| Greg Mashilo | South Africa | 2002 – 2004 |
| August Makalakalane | South Africa | 2006 – 2011 |
| Joseph Mkhonza | South Africa | 2011 – 2014 |
| Vera Pauw | Netherlands | 2014 – 2016 |
| Desiree Ellis | South Africa | 2016 – present |

## Players
### Current squad

* The following players were named to the squad for the two friendlies against Jamaica in November 2024. Due to injuries 3 players have been replaced ahead.
* Caps and goals accurate up to and including 20 July 2023 (prior the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup).
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
| 1 | 1GK | Kaylin Swart | (1994-09-30) 30 September 1994 (age 30) | 36 | 0 | JVW |
| | 1GK | Andile Dlamini | (1992-09-02) 2 September 1992 (age 32) | 69 | 0 | Mamelodi Sundowns |
| | 1GK | Jessica Williams | (1999-12-02) 2 December 1999 (age 25) | | | Bagers FC |
| 14 | 2DF | Tiisetso Makhubela | (1997-04-24) 24 April 1997 (age 27) | 24 | 2 | Mamelodi Sundowns |
| 3 | 2DF | Shakira O'Malley | 3 Jan 2003 | | 0 | Western Mechigan University |
| 2 | 2DF | Lebohang Ramalepe | (1991-12-03) 3 December 1991 (age 33) | 91 | 4 | Mamelodi Sundowns |
| 3 | 2DF | Ntando Phahla | 12 March 2006 | | 0 | University of pretoria |
| 19 | 2DF | Lonathemba Mhlongo | (2002-08-23) 23 August 2002 (age 22) | | | UWC |
| 2 | 2DF | Asanda Hadebe | (2003-10-13)13 October 2003 (aged 19) | | | Mamelodi Sundowns |
| 3 | 2DF | Bongeka Gamede | 22 May 1999 | | 0 | Nordsjaelland |
| | 3MF | Nomvula Kgoale | (1995-11-20) 20 November 1995 (age 29) | 21 | 5 | TS Galaxy Queens |
| | 3MF | Amogelang Motau | (1997-02-27) 27 February 1997 (age 28) | | | Tijuana |
| 19 | 3MF | Kholosa Biyana | (1994-09-06) 6 September 1994 (age 30) | 38 | 2 | Mamelodi Sundowns |
| 17 | 3MF | Sibongile Ntoane | 2 July 2003 | | | TUT Matsatsantsa FC |
| 4 | 3MF | Nonhlanhla Mthandi | (1995-08-19) 19 August 1995 (age 29) | 6 | 0 | Mamelodi Sundowns |
| 10 | 3MF | Linda Motlhalo | (1998-07-01) 1 July 1998 (age 26) | 68 | 19 | Racing Louisville |
| | 4FW | Thubelihle Shamase | (2002-01-16) 16 January 2002 (age 23) | | | FC Gintra |
| 6 | 4FW | Noxolo Cesane | (2000-10-11) 11 October 2000 (age 24) | 31 | 4 | UWC |
| 10 | 4FW | Nicole Lauren Michael | (2001-01-17)17 January 2001 (aged 22) | 1 | 1 | TS Galaxy Queens |
| | 4FW | Nthabiseng Majiya | (2004-06-10) 10 June 2004 (age 20) | | | Mamelodi Sundowns |
| 6 | 4FW | Gugu Dhlamini | | | | University of Johansburg |
| 6 | 4FW | Antonia Maponya | | | | University of the Western Cape |

### Recent call ups

* The following players have been called up to a South Africa squad in the past 12 months.
| Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
| GK | Regirl Ngobeni | (1996-02-26) 26 February 1996 (age 29) | | 0 | UWC | v. Nigeria, 1 April 2024$^{PRE}$ |
| GK | Katlego Moletsane | (1995-03-03) 3 March 1995 (age 29) | | 0 | Royal AM | v. Nigeria, 9 April 2024 |
| GK | Dineo Magagula | (1994-10-14) 14 October 1994 (age 30) | | | TS Galaxy Queens | v. England,29 October 2024 |
| DF | Noko Matlou | (1985-09-30) 30 September 1985 (age 39) | 168 | 66 | Eibar | v. Nigeria, 9 April 2024 |
| DF | Boitumelo Rasehlo | (1998-10-18)18 October 1998 (aged 24) | | | JVW | v. Nigeria, 1 April 2024$^{PRE}$ |
| DF | Asanda Hadebe | (2006-11-28) 28 November 2006 (age 18) | | | Mamelodi Sundowns | v. Nigeria, 1 April 2024$^{PRE}$ |
| DF | Faith Nokuthula | (2000-06-24) 24 June 2000 (age 24) | | | Blackburn Rovers | v. Burkina Faso, 4 December 2023 |
| DF | Janine van Wyk | (1987-04-17) 17 April 1987 (age 37) | 185 | 12 | JVW | v. Burkina Faso, 4 December 2023 |
| DF | Asanda Hadebe | (2003-10-13)13 October 2003 (aged 19) | | | Mamelodi Sundowns | v. Nigeria, 9 April 2024 |
| DF | Shannon Macomo | | | 0 | UJ | v. Nigeria, 9 April 2024 |
| DF | Shannon Macomo | | | 0 | UJ | v. England,29 October 2024 |
| DF | Fikile Magama | (2002-01-19) 19 January 2002 (age 23) | 8 | 0 | UWC | v. England,29 October 2024 |
| DF | Bambanani Mbane | (1990-03-12) 12 March 1990 (age 34) | 81 | 4 | Mamelodi Sundowns | v. England,29 October 2024 |
| DF | Karabo Dhlamini | (2001-09-18) 18 September 2001 (age 23) | 24 | 1 | Mamelodi Sundowns | v. England,29 October 2024 $^{INJ}$ |
| MF | Refiloe Jane | (1992-08-04) 4 August 1992 (age 32) | 134 | 16 | Sassuolo | v. Nigeria, 9 April 2024 |
| MF | Samkelisiwe Selana | (2004-07-07)7 July 2004 (aged 19) | | | TS Galaxy Queens | v. Nigeria, 1 April 2024$^{PRE}$ |
| MF | Lesego Nkoane | | 1 | 0 | TS Galaxy Queens | v. Nigeria, 1 April 2024$^{PRE}$ |
| MF | Thalea Smidt | (1997-12-27) 27 December 1997 (age 27) | | | Mamelodi Sundowns | v. Tanzania, 27 February 2024 |
| MF | Ayesha Moosa | (2003-10-30)30 October 2003 (aged 19) | | | UJ | v. DR Congo, 30 October 2023 |
| MF | Mmabatho Mogale | | | | JVW | v. Nigeria, 9 April 2024 |
| MF | Nondumiso Manengela | | | | | v. England,29 October 2024 |
| MF | Sibulele Holweni | 28 April 2001 | | | University of western cape | v. England,29 October 2024 $^{INJ}$ |
| FW | Gabriela Salgado | (1998-02-20) 20 February 1998 (age 27) | 28 | 7 | JVW | v. Nigeria, 9 April 2024 |
| FW | Jermaine Seoposenwe | (1993-10-12) 12 October 1993 (age 31) | 94 | 20 | Monterrey | v. Nigeria, 9 April 2024 |
| FW | Wendy Shongwe | (2003-01-18) 18 January 2003 (age 22) | 1 | 0 | University of Pretoria | v. Burkina Faso, 4 December 2023 |
| FW | Melinda Kgadiete | (1992-07-21) 21 July 1992 (age 32) | 26 | 3 | Mamelodi Sundowns | v. DR Congo, 30 October 2023 |
| FW | Ayesha Moosa | | | | UJ | v. Nigeria, 9 April 2024 |
| FW | Thembi Kgatlana | (1996-05-02) 2 May 1996 (age 28) | 71 | 24 | UANL | v. England,29 October 2024 |
| FW | Sinoxolo Cesane | (2000-10-11) 11 October 2000 (age 24) | 0 | 0 | Mazatlán | v. England,29 October 2024 |
| FW | Hildah Magaia | | | | KC Current | v. England,29 October 2024 $^{INJ}$ |
| INJ = Withdrew due to injury RET = Retired from international football PRE = Preliminary squad MED = Withdrew on medical grounds REHAB = Player is in post injury rehab WD = Player withdrew from the squad due to non-injury or medical issue |||||||

### Previous squads
#### FIFA Women's World Cup

* 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup squad
* 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup squads

#### Summer Olympics

* 2012 Summer Olympics squad
* 2016 Summer Olympics squad

#### Africa Women Cup of Nations

* 2000 African Women's Championship squad
* 2010 African Women's Championship squad
* 2012 African Women's Championship squad
* 2014 African Women's Championship squad
* 2016 Africa Women Cup of Nations squad
* 2018 Africa Women Cup of Nations squad
* 2022 Africa Women Cup of Nations squad

#### COSAFA Women's Championship

* 2020 COSAFA Women's Championship squad
* 2021 COSAFA Women's Championship squad
* 2022 COSAFA Women's Championship squad
* 2023 COSAFA Women's Championship squad
* 2024 COSAFA Women's Championship squad

#### Turkish Women's Cup

* 2023 Turkish Women's Cup squads

## Records

* Active players in bold, statistics correct as of 2020.

## Honours
### Continental

* Africa Women Cup of Nations
** Champions: 2022
** Runners-up: 1995, 2000, 2008, 2012, 2018
** Third place: 2006, 2010
* African Games
** Runners-up: 2003, 2007

### Regional

* COSAFA Women's Championship
** Champions: 2002, 2006, 2008, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
** Runners-up: 2011, 2022

## Competitive record
### FIFA Women's World Cup

FIFA Women's World Cup record :
| Year | Result | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | GD |
| 1991 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 1995 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1999 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2003 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2007 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2011 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2015 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2019 | Group stage | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 8 | −7 |
| 2023 | Round of 16 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 8 | −2 |
| 2027 | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined |
| Total | 2/9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 16 | −9 |
    *Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
FIFA Women's World Cup history :
| Year | Round | Date | Opponent | Result | Stadium |
| 2019 | Group stage | 8 June | Spain | L 1–3 | Stade Océane, Le Havre |
| 2019 | Group stage | 13 June | China | L 0–1 | Parc des Princes, Paris |
| 2019 | Group stage | 17 June | Germany | L 0–4 | Stade de la Mosson, Montpellier |
| 2023 | Group Stage | 23 July | Sweden | L 1–2 | Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington |
| 2023 | Group Stage | 28 July | Argentina | D 2–2 | Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin |
| 2023 | Group Stage | 2 August | Italy | W 3–2 | Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington |
| 2023 | Round of 16 | 6 August | Netherlands | L 0–2 | Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney |

### Olympic Games

Summer Olympics record :
| Year | Result | Pld | W | D* | L | GS | GA | GD |
| 1996 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2000 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2004 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2008 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2012 | Group stage | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7 | −6 |
| 2016 | Group stage | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | −3 |
| 2020 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2024 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| Total | 2/7 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 10 | −9 |
    *Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

### Africa Women Cup of Nations

Africa Women Cup of Nations record :
| Year | Round | Pld | W | D* | L | GS | GA | GD |
| 1991 | Banned | Banned | Banned | Banned | Banned | Banned | Banned | Banned |
| 1995 | Runners-up | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 19 | 20 | −1 |
| 1998 | Group stage | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 7 | −5 |
| 2000 | Runners-up | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 3 | +6 |
| 2002 | Fourth place | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 11 | −5 |
| 2004 | Group stage | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 7 | −5 |
| 2006 | Third place | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 5 | +3 |
| 2008 | Runners-up | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 4 | +3 |
| 2010 | Third place | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 6 | +4 |
| 2012 | Runners-up | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 2014 | Fourth place | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 6 | +1 |
| 2016 | Fourth place | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 3 | +2 |
| 2018 | Runners-up | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 2 | +9 |
| 2020 | Cancelled due to Covid | Cancelled due to Covid | Cancelled due to Covid | Cancelled due to Covid | Cancelled due to Covid | Cancelled due to Covid | Cancelled due to Covid | Cancelled due to Covid |
| 2022 | Champions | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 3 | +7 |
| 2024 | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified |
| Total | Champions: 1 time | 62 | 31 | 8 | 23 | 102 | 83 | +19 |
    *Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

### African Games

African Games record :
| Year | Result | Matches | Wins | Draws | Losses | GF | GA |
| 2003 | Runners- up | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 3 |
| 2007 | Runners- up | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 7 |
| 2011 | Fourth place | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 10 |
| 2015 | 5th | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2019 | 7th | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 2023 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| Total | 5/6 | 18 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 28 | 25 |

### COSAFA Women's Championship

COSAFA Women's Championship record :
| Year | Round | Pld | W | D* | L | GS | GA | GD |
| 2002 | Champions | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 2 | +34 |
| 2006 | Champions | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 2 | +17 |
| 2008 | Champions | | | | | | | |
| 2011 | Runners-up | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 3 | +11 |
| 2017 | Champions | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 3 | +9 |
| 2018 | Champions | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 2 | +11 |
| 2019 | Champions | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 2 | +25 |
| 2020 | Champions | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 3 | +19 |
| 2021 | Fourth place | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 6 | +2 |
| 2022 | Runners-up | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 2 | +7 |
| 2023 | Group stage | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 5 | +4 |
| 2024 | Runners-up | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 2 | +11 |
| Total | Winner | 52 | 41 | 6 | 5 | 182 | 32 | +150 |
    *Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

## All−time record against FIFA recognized nations

The list shown below shows the women's South Africa national soccer team's all−time international record against opposing nations. *As of xxxxxx after match against xxxx.

### Key

| Against | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Confederation |

### Record per opponent

*As ofxxxxx after match against xxxxx.

#### Key

The following table shows South Africa's all-time official international record per opponent:
| Opponent | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | W% | Confederation |
| Denmark | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | (5) | 0 | UEFA |
| Jamaica | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | (4) | 0 | CONCACAF |
| Total | | | | | | | | | — |