A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
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| Nickname(s) | Banyana Banyana | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Association | South African Football Association | ||
| Confederation | CAF (Africa) | ||
| Sub-confederation | COSAFA (Southern Africa) | ||
| Head coach | Desiree Ellis | ||
| Captain | Refiloe Jane | ||
| Most caps | Janine Van Wyk (185) | ||
| Top scorer | Portia Modise (101) | ||
| FIFA code | RSA | ||
| |||
| FIFA ranking | |||
| Current | 51  1 (15 March 2024)[1] | ||
| Highest | 45 (August 2023) | ||
| Lowest | 74 (June – September 2005; December 2007) | ||
| First international | |||
 South Africa 14–0 Eswatini  (Johannesburg, South Africa; 30 May 1993) | |||
| Biggest win | |||
 South Africa 17–0 Comoros  (Port Elizabeth, South Africa; 31 July 2019) | |||
| Biggest defeat | |||
 China 13–0 South Africa (Dalian, China; 7 September 2003) | |||
| World Cup | |||
| Appearances | 2 (first in 2019) | ||
| Best result | Round of 16 (2023) | ||
| Africa Women Cup of Nations | |||
| Appearances | 13 (first in 1995) | ||
| Best result | Champions (2022) | ||
| Summer Olympics | |||
| Appearances | 2 (first in 2012) | ||
| Best result | 10th (2012) | ||
| COSAFA Women's Championship | |||
| Appearances | 10 (first in 2002) | ||
| Best result | Champions (2002, 2006, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022) | ||
Medal record | |||
| Website | https://www.safa.net/ | ||
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 African Women 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've 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[2]
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.[3]
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.[4][5]
Olympic Games
They qualified for Olympic football for the first time in 2012, with coach Joseph Mkhonza.[6] 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.[7]
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.[8] Following the team's performance, Desiree Ellis would win the 2023 award for CAF Women's Coach of the Year.[9]
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.[10]
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.[11]
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
2023
| 2 July Friendly | South Africa | 0–5 |  Botswana | Brakpan, South Africa |
| 15:00 UTC+2 |
|
Stadium: Tsakane Stadium Referee: Vistoria Shangula (Namibia) |
| 15 July Friendly | South Africa | 2–0 |  Costa Rica | Christchurch, New Zealand |
|
Stadium: Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub |
| 23 July FIFA WC Group | Sweden  | 2–1 | South Africa | Wellington, New Zealand |
| 17:00 UTC+12 | Report |
|
Stadium: Wellington Regional Stadium Attendance: 18,317 Referee: Ekaterina Koroleva (United States) |
| 28 July FIFA WC Group | Argentina  | 2–2 | South Africa | Dunedin, New Zealand |
| Report | Stadium: Forsyth Barr Stadium Attendance: 8,834 Referee: Anna-Marie Keighley (New Zealand) |
| 2 August FIFA WC Group | South Africa | 3–2 |  Italy | Wellington, New Zealand |
| Report | Caruso  11' (pen.), 74' |
Stadium: Wellington Regional Stadium Attendance: 14,967 Referee: María Carvajal (Chile) |
| 6 August FIFA WC R16 | Netherlands  | 2–0 | South Africa | Sydney, Australia |
|
Report | Stadium: Sydney Football Stadium Attendance: 40,233 Referee: Yoshimi Yamashita (Japan) |
| 21 September 2023 Friendly | United States  | 3–0 | South Africa | Cincinnati, Ohio |
| 19:30 ET | Stadium: TQL Stadium Attendance: 22,016 Referee: Katia Garcia (Mexico) |
| 24 September 2023 Friendly | United States | 2–0 | South Africa | Chicago, Illinois |
| 17:30 ET | Report | Stadium: Soldier Field Attendance: 25,622 Referee: Carly Shaw-MacLaren (Canada) |
| 4 October 2023 2023 COSAFA WC GS | South Africa | 3–4 |  Malawi | Pretoria, South Africa |
| 12:00 UTC+2 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Lucas Moripe Stadium Referee: Antsino Twanyanyukwa (Namibia) |
| 10 October 2023 2023 COSAFA WC GS | South Africa | 3–1 |  Madagascar | Johannesburg, South Africa |
| 15:30 UTC+2 |
|
|
Stadium: Dobsonville Stadium Referee: Vistoria Shangula (Namibia) |
| 10 October 2023 2023 COSAFA WC GS | Eswatini | 0–3 | South Africa | Johannesburg, South Africa |
| 15:30 UTC+2 | Report |
|
Stadium: Dobsonville Stadium Referee: Rosalie Rosalie (Madagascar) |
| 25 October 2023 2024 Olympic qualifying | DR Congo  | 1–1 | South Africa | Kinshasa, DR Congo |
| 15:30 UTC+1 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Stade des Martyrs |
| 30 October 2024 Olympic qualifying | South Africa | 2–0 (3–1 agg.) | DR Congo | Pretoria, South Africa |
| Stadium: Lucas Moripe Stadium | ||||
| Note: South Africa won 3–1 on aggregate | ||||
| 30 November 2023 2024 AFWCON qualification Second round 1st leg | Burkina Faso  | 1–1 | South Africa | Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast |
| 17:00 UTC+1 |
|
Report (SAFA) |
|
Stadium: Charles Konan Banny Stadium |
| 4 December 2023 2024 AFWCON qualification Second round 2nd leg | South Africa | 2–0 (3–1 agg.) | Burkina Faso | Pretoria, South Africa |
| 15:00 UTC+1 | Report (SAFA) | Stadium: Lucas Moripe Stadium | ||
| Note: South Africa won 3–1 on aggregate. | ||||
2024
| 23 February 2024 2024 Olympic qualifying | Tanzania  | 0–3 | South Africa | Dar es Salaam,Tanzania |
|
Stadium: Azam Complex Stadium |
| 27 February 2024 2024 Olympic qualifying | South Africa | 1–0 (4–0 agg.) | Tanzania | Mbombela,South Africa |
|
Stadium: Mbombela Stadium | |||
| Note: South Africa won 4–0 on aggregate. | ||||
| 5 April 2024 2024 Olympic qualifying | Nigeria  | 1–0 | South Africa | Abuja,Nigeria |
| 17:00 UTC+1 | Report | Stadium: MKO Abiola Stadium Referee: Ghada Mehat (Algeria) |
| 9 April 2024 2024 Olympic qualifying | South Africa | 0–0 (0–1 agg.) | Nigeria | Pretoria ,South Africa |
| 19:30 UTC+2 | Report | Stadium: Loftus Versfeld Stadium Referee: Dorsaf Ganouati (Tunisia) | ||
| Note: Nigeria won 1–0 on aggregate. | ||||
| 1 June 2023 Friendly | Senegal  | 1–1 | South Africa | Thiès, Senegal |
| 17:00 UTC±0 |
|
|
Stadium: Stade Lat-Dior |
| 4 June 2023 Friendly | Senegal | 0–2 | South Africa | Thiès, Senegal |
| 17:00 UTC±0 | Stadium: Stade Lat-Dior |
Source: Global Sports Archive
Coaching staff
Current coaching staff
| Position | Name | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| 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