Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies will once again form the backbone of the South African women’s national team.

This comes after 11 of the club’s players were selected for Banyana Banyana’s final squad for the 2026 CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.

The selected players will be part of the 26-member squad tasked with defending South Africa’s continental title while also chasing qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

Representing Sundowns Ladies are goalkeeper Andile Dlamini; defenders Asanda Hadebe, Khutso Pila, Bambanani Mbane, Karabo Dhlamini and Lebohang Ramalepe; midfielders Nonhlanhla Mthandi, Isabella Ludwig and Noxolo Cesane; and forwards Ronwen Donnelly and Nthabiseng Majiya.

The players bring a wealth of experience across all areas of the pitch. Dlamini is expected to provide stability between the posts, Mbane and Ramalepe leading a seasoned defensive unit, while the midfield trio of Mthandi, Ludwig and Cesane will be key in controlling matches.

Up front, Donnelly and Majiya will be tasked with creating and converting scoring opportunities as Banyana Banyana aim for another successful campaign.

After lifting their maiden WAFCON title in 2022, South Africa will make their 14th appearance at the continental showpiece.

This year’s tournament carries added significance as it also serves as a qualifier for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

Banyana Banyana have been drawn in Group B alongside Tanzania, Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso.

They will begin their campaign against Tanzania before taking on Côte d’Ivoire four days later, with their final group stage fixture against Burkina Faso.

All three matches will be played at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca, Morocco.

Head coach Dr Desiree Ellis announced the final 26-player squad after trimming an initial preliminary group of 31 players.

According to the South African Football Association (SAFA), Ellis and her technical team retained the bulk of the players who have featured regularly for the South African senior women’s national team in recent international matches.

The final squad was trimmed from a preliminary group of 31 players to 26 on July 17.

“It is never easy choosing the squad for any tournament, but it is something that has to be done, and unfortunately, we cannot take all the players with us,” she said.

She acknowledged that narrowing the squad first to 31 players and then to the final 26 was a difficult process but said the technical team was confident it had selected a group capable of achieving its objectives.

The coach said striking the right balance between experienced internationals and emerging talent was central to the selection process, as the team needed to compete for immediate success while also building towards the future.

“We have a nice mixture of youth and experience, and that was key in making our selection because while we have immediate goals, we still need to look beyond the tournament and not be found wanting,” said Ellis.

She admitted the competition would be challenging but expressed confidence that the squad was well prepared for what lies ahead.

Looking ahead, Ellis said the team’s objective is clear.

“Qualify for the World Cup, and then we see how far we go. And that means the focus for now is the opening game against Tanzania, as it will set the tone for the tournament,” she said.

Ellis added that the players are fully aware of the expectations placed on them as defending champions and are determined to make South Africans proud.

Having ended years of near misses by winning the 2022 WAFCON title, Banyana Banyana now head to Morocco with the opportunity to cement their place among Africa’s leading women’s football nations.

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