# Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies F.C.

Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies F.C. is a women's professional soccer club based in Pretoria, South Africa. The team competes in the SAFA Women's League, the top tier women's football league in South Africa. They are the most successful women's team in South Africa with seven titles. The team, together with the men's team are owned by Patrice Motsepe.
They won the inaugural CAF Women's Champions League in 2021. In the qualifiers, the 2021 CAF Women's Champions League COSAFA Qualifiers, they won without a single loss. This sent them to the 2021 CAF Women's Champions League which they also won without a defeat and also without conceding.
In March 2024, the club appointed its first Head of Women's Football, Christa Kgamphe.

## History

The club was founded on 4 September 2009 by owner Patrice Motsepe and they participated in the inaugural Sasol Women's League.

### Sasol League National Championship

In 2013 they won their maiden national title at the 2013 Sasol League National Championship. They won 2–0 against Limpopo's Ma-Indies Ladies in the final held in Klerksdorp.
In 2015, they set the Sasol League National Championship goal-scoring record when they defeated Galeshewe Ladies 25–0 at the 2015 Sasol League National Championship in Sasolburg. They went on to win the national championship and lift their second title, defeating Cape Town Roses 5–0 in the final.

### SAFA Women's League

Sundowns won the inaugural SAFA Women's League undefeated, 21 wins and 1 draw, and scored 83 goals while only conceding 13 goals.
They defended their title by winning the 2021 SAFA Women's League which qualified them for the 2022 COSAFA Women's Champions League.
They set the goal scoring record in the league when they scored 126 goals, averaging 4,2 goals per match, in the 2022 SAFA Women's League. They are the first team to score a 100 goals. In November, they were crowned champions of the SAFA Women's League for a third year in a row and qualified for the 2023 COSAFA Women's Champions League.
They won their fourth consecutive league title on the 6th of December 2023.
They won their fifth consecutive league title on 3 November 2024 with a game to spare scoring their second 100 goal tally ending with 112 goals for the 2024 season.

### COSAFA Women's Champions League

CAF announced the launch of the CAF Women's Champions League with each of the six CAF regions to produce a finalist. Sundowns, as the 2019-20 SAFA Women's League champions, were set to go against the other national champions in the COSAFA regional qualifiers.
On 26 August 2021, the 2021 COSAFA Women's Champions League first matches took place with Sundowns playing against Lesotho Defence Force Ladies from Lesotho. They won their first match 6–0. Their second match was against Double Action Ladies from Botswana with Sundowns again winning 6–0. Their final group stage match was against Manzini Wanderers from Eswatini which ended in a 6–1 win for Sundowns. In the semi-finals, they won 1–0 against Green Buffaloes from Zambia and went on to win the tournament 3–0 against Black Rhino Queens from Zimbabwe. This led to them qualifying for the first-ever CAF Women's Champions League held in Egypt.
In hopes to retain the COSAFA Women's Champions League, the club started as clear favourites by scoring 8 goals against Mozambican club CD Costa do Sol winning the match 8–1 at the Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium in Durban. The second match was against Botswana club Double Action Ladies, despite being favorites they were forced to share the spoils drawing 1-1. The club topped the group on a superior goal difference which led them to their second consecutive final. The Zambian side Green Buffaloes held out for most of the game till extra time as the score remained 0-0, Sundowns lost on penalties against Green Buffaloes, giving them their first loss in the competition. But since they won the previous 2021 CAF Women's Champions League they qualified automatically to the next edition.
On 31 August 2023, they opened their 2023 COSAFA Women's Champions League with a 8–0 win over Comoros side Olympic de Moroni. Their next match was against Young Buffaloes from Eswatini which they won 4–0, and they finished off their group stages with a 4–0 victory over Mozambican side CD Costa do Sol. They met Zambian side Green Buffaloes in the semi-finals, coming from behind to win 3–1 at the Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium. In the final, against Double Actions Ladies from Botswana, they qualified for the 2023 Champions League with a 2–0 win.

### CAF Women's Champions League

The club kicked-off their Champions League matches with a 1–0 win against Vihiga Queens from Kenya. Their next match was again a 1–0 win against Rivers Angels from Nigeria and third match a goalless draw against AS FAR of Morocco. The semi-final match against Malabo Kings from Equatorial Guinea ended goalless with Sundowns winning 5–4 on penalties. They went on to win the first CAF Women's Champions League 2–0 against Hasaacas Ladies from Ghana.
In 2022, they opened the tournament with a 2–1 win of Nigeria's Bayelsa Queens, proceeded to a 5–0 win over Wadi Degla of Egypt, and ended the group stages with a 4–0 over Congolese club TP Mazembe and finished top of Group B with nine points. The semifinals were contested with Simba Queens from Tanzania, with Sundowns winning 1–0. In the final with AS FAR, Sundowns lost 4–0 ending the match with nine players on the field.
In the 2023 CAF Women's Champions League, Sundowns qualified for the knockout stages after finishing top of Group A with nine points. They won 2–0 against Tanzanian side JKT Queens, 1–0 over Moroccan side Sporting Club Casablanca, and 3–0 against Ivorian side Athletico D'Abidjan. They met 2022 champions AS FAR in the semi-finals of the tournament, winning 1–0 to qualify for their third successive final. In the final with Sporting Club Casablanca, Sundowns won the match 3–0 to finish the tournament without conceding a goal.
In the 2024 CAF Women's Champions League, Sundowns recorded their worst performance to date starting with a 1–0 loss to Egyptian debutants FC Masar. They won their second match 4–0 against CBE from Ethiopia. They crashed out of the group stages for the first time when they lost 2–1 to Edo Queens from Nigeria finishing third in their group and in fifth place overall.

### IFFHS ranking

They ended the 2022 season ranked the best women's club in Africa by IFFHS with 174 points.
The club was ranked the best women's club in Africa by IFFHS for the second year running in 2023 with 238 points and tied for 19th in the Women's Club World ranking.

### CAF Women's Club of the Year award

At the 2022 CAF awards they won the inaugural CAF Women's Club of the Year award.
On 11 December 2023, they retained the CAF Women's Club of the Year award at the CAF Awards 2023 event held in Marrakech, Morocco.

### Joburg Basadi Football Challenge

On 13 August 2023, they faced the University of Johannesburg in the inaugural Joburg Basadi Football Challenge final where they won 1–0.

### The Women's Cup

On 10 May 2024, it was announced the club had been invited to take part in the 2024 version of The Women's Cup scheduled for August. On 15 August 2024, they played their first match with Kansas City Current from the USA and lost the match 3-0. They lost their second match of the tournament 2-0 against INAC Kobe from Japan.

## Media
### Mamelodi Sundowns magazine

In September 2021 the club launched the first edition of its quarterly magazine. The December 2021 edition, titled Banyana ba Style Queens of the Continent covered their maiden CAF Women's Champions League win. The cover featured Sundowns Ladies captain Zanele Nhlapho and players Bambanani Mbane, Chuene Morifi, Thalea Smidt, and Andisiwe Mgcoyi.

### Banyana Ba Style documentary

On 13 November 2022, Mamelodi Sundowns announced the launch of their documentary ahead of the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League final. The film titled Banyana Ba Style: The First Queens of African Football aired on SuperSport's channel 202. In 2023, Netflix announced the documentary will be featured on its streaming site from 22 November.

### Sundowns Ladies TV

On 7 April 2024 the first episode of the Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies Show was broadcast on SABC 1. The show is hosted by sports presenter Bokamoso Jessica Nkomo, commonly known as Aunty Diski.

## Players

    As of April 2024
Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies F.C. squad for 2024 season.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | RSA | Mbali Ntimane |
| 3 | DF | RSA | Karabo Makhurubetshi (Vice Captain) |
| 4 | DF | RSA | Lebohang Ramalepe |
| 5 | MF | RSA | Khunjulwa Mali |
| 6 | DF | RSA | Salome Kekana |
| 7 | MF | RSA | Lehlogonolo Mashigo |
| 8 | MF | RSA | Chuene Morifi |
| 9 | FW | BOT | Refilwe Tholakele |
| 10 | FW | LES | Boitumelo Rabale |
| 11 | FW | RSA | Melinda Kgadiete |
| 12 | DF | RSA | Bambanani Mbane |
| 13 | DF | RSA | Oratile Mokwena |
| 14 | FW | RSA | Miche Minnies |
| 15 | MF | RSA | Lerato Kgasago |
| 16 | FW | RSA | Rhoda Mulaudzi |
| 17 | MF | RSA | Cimone Sauls |
| 18 | DF | RSA | Tiisetso Letsoso |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 19 | FW | RSA | Lelona Daweti |
| 20 | DF | RSA | Khutso Pila |
| 21 | DF | RSA | Regina Mogolola (Vice Captain) |
| 22 | MF | RSA | Kholosa Biyana |
| 23 | MF | RSA | Nonhlanhla Mthandi |
| 24 | GK | RSA | Asa Rabalao |
| 25 | DF | RSA | Karabo Dhlamini |
| 26 | GK | BOT | Sedilame Boseja |
| 27 | MF | RSA | Malebogo Shawe |
| 28 | DF | RSA | Zanele Nhlapho (Captain) |
| 29 | MF | RSA | Tiisetso Makhubela |
| 30 | GK | RSA | Andile Dlamini |
| 31 | FW | RSA | Andisiwe Mgcoyi |
| 32 | DF | RSA | Asanda Hadebe |
| 33 | FW | RSA | Nthabiseng Majiya |

### Technical team

| Position | Staff |
| Head Coach | Godfrey Sapula |
| Assistant Coach | Agnes Nkosi |
| Goalkeeper Coach | Koketso Tshabalala |
| Head of Football | Christa Kgamphe-Jane |
| Team Doctor | Nokufa Makae |
| Kit Manager | Nokubonga Bala |
| Administrator | Dipuo Maboe |

### Kit suppliers and sponsors

Same sponsors as the men's team
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor | Sleeve sponsor |
| 2014–2016 | Nike | Ubuntu-Botho Investments | |
| 2016–present | Puma | Ubuntu-Botho Investments | Hyundai |

### Notable players
#### FIFA World Cup participants

List of players that were called up for a FIFA Women's World Cup while playing for Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies. In brackets, the tournament played:
* Tiisetso Makhubela (2019, 2023)
* Andile Dlamini (2019, 2023)
* Karabo Dhlamini (2019, 2023)
* Lebohang Ramalepe (2023)
* Melinda Kgadiete (2023)
* Bambanani Mbane (2023)

#### Summer Olympics participants

List of players that were called up for the Summer Olympic Games while playing for Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies. In brackets, the tournament played:
* Refiloe Jane (2012)
* Andisiwe Mgcoyi (2012)
* Sanah Mollo (2016)
* Andile Dlamini (2016)

## Honours

| Type | Competition | Titles | Seasons |
| Domestic | SAFA Women's League / Sasol League National Championship | 7 | Champions (7): 2013, 2015, 2019-20, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 |
| African | CAF Women's Champions League | 2 | Champions (2): 2021, 2023 Runners-up (1): 2022 |
| African | COSAFA Women's Champions League | 2 | Champions (2): 2021, 2023 Runners-up (1): 2022 |
* Record
* $^S$ Shared record

### Awards

* CAF Club of the Year (Women): 2022, 2023
* CAF Women's Champions League Fair Play: 2023
* Gauteng Sports Awards: Team of the year: 2024

## Club records

| Type | Name | Record |
| Most Trophies Won - Coach | Jerry Tshabalala | 12 |
| League victory | vs Thunderbirds Ladies | 13–0 (2024 SAFA Women's League) |
| COSAFA victory | vs Olympic de Moroni | 8–0 (2023 COSAFA Women's Champions League) |
| Record victory | vs Galeshewe Ladies | 25–0 (2015 Sasol League National Championship) |
| CAF victory | vs Wadi Degla | 5–0 (2022 CAF Women's Champions League) |
| Record defeat | vs AS FAR | 4–0 (2022 CAF Women's Champions League) |

### CAF Women's Champions League record

| Season | Pos | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record |
| Season | Pos | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD |
| 2021 | Champions | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 2022 | Runners up | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 5 | 7 |
| 2023 | Champions | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| 2024 | 5th place | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 2 |

### SAFA Women's League record

| Season | Pos | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record |
| Season | Pos | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pst |
| 2019-20 | Champions | 22 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 83 | 13 | 70 | 64 |
| 2021 | Champions | 26 | 24 | 1 | 1 | 87 | 14 | 73 | 73 |
| 2022 | Champions | 30 | 27 | 1 | 2 | 126 | 13 | 113 | 82 |
| 2023 | Champions | 29 | 25 | 3 | 1 | 95 | 15 | 80 | 78 |
| 2024 | Champions | 29 | 26 | 2 | 1 | 112 | 12 | 100 | 80 |
* Orange = In progress
* Gold = Champions
* Silver = Runner up

#### SAFA Women's League statistics

* Record number of games won in a season: 27 games (2022)
* Record number of points in a season: 82 points (2022)
* Record goals scored in a season: 126 goals (2022)
* Record for lowest number of goals conceded in a season: 13 goals tied with UWC (2022)
* Record for lowest number of defeats in a season: no games lost (2019–20)