South Africa women's national soccer team

The South Africa women's national football team represents South Africa in women's international soccer and is run by the South African Football Association, the governing body for Soccer in South Africa. Nicknamed Banyana Banyana (The Girls in Sesotho, officially known as Sasol Banyana Banyana for sponsorship reasons).^[2]

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 thrice and finished in fourth place once.

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^[3]

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.^[4]

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.^[5][6]

They qualified for Olympic football for the first time in 2012, with coach Joseph Mkhonza.^[7] Their second Olympic participation was at 2016's Rio Olympics, under coach Vera Pauw.

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.^[8]

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.^[9] Following the team's performance, Desiree Ellis would win the 2023 award for CAF Women's Coach of the Year.^[10]

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.

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.^[11]

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.^[12]

The South Africa women's national football team has been known or nicknamed as "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.

The team is currently branded as "Sasol Banyana Banyana", based on a multi-year financial investment in the team by Sasol.^[13]

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   Void or Postponed

The following players were called up for the international friendly against Morocco from 28 November to 4 December 2025.^[22]

The following players have also been called up to the squad within the past 12 months.

Turkish Women's Cup

• 2023 Turkish Women's Cup squads

As of 2 December 2025

Players in bold are still active with the national team.

• Africa Women Cup of Nations
  • Champions: 2022
  • Runners-up: 2000, 2008, 2012, 2018
  • Third place: 2006, 2010

• African Games¹
  • Runners-up: 2003, 2007

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

1. Competition organized by the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa, officially not recognized by FIFA.

• CAF National Team of the Year (Women): 2017, 2022^[23]
• Women's Africa Cup of Nations Fair play: 2014, 2022, 2024^[24]
• African Union Sports Council Region: Team of the Year: 2019^[25]

*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

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

*As ofxxxxx after match against xxxxx.

Key

The following table shows South Africa's all-time official international record per opponent:

• Sport in South Africa
  • Football in South Africa
    • Women's football in South Africa

National teams

• South Africa women's national football team
  • South Africa women's national football team results
• South Africa women's national under-20 soccer team
• South Africa women's national under-17 soccer team
• South Africa women's national under-15 soccer team

• Official website
• FIFA profile