Familiar faces return for crucial Moroccan mission
Banyana Banyana head coach Dr. Desiree Ellis has finalised her 23-player selection for the pivotal 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup Playoff tournament in Rabat. The squad features a strong core of experienced internationals who are determined to rectify the disappointment of their recent WAFCON campaign.
The defensive unit includes stalwarts such as Bambanani Mbane, Karabo Dhlamini, and Lebohang Ramalepe, who will be joined by Fikile Magama, Antonia Maponya, Lonathemba Mhlongo, and Khutso Pila. In the middle of the park, captain Refiloe Jane leads a midfield contingent that boasts the creative talents of Linda Motlhalo and Noxolo Cesane.
Goal-scoring responsibilities will fall on the shoulders of star forward Thembi Kgatlana, who remains the focal point of the South African attack. She is joined in the frontline by Hildah Magaia, Nthabiseng Majiya, Gabriela Salgado, Wendy Shongwe, and Ronnel Donnelly. This group represents the nation’s best hope of finding the back of the net against tough international opposition in the upcoming weeks as the road to Brazil begins in earnest.
After falling to Morocco in an earlier 2026 WAFCON quarterfinal, Banyana Banyana now prepare to return to Morocco with the intention of keeping their 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup dream alive. The squad announcement marks the beginning of an intense preparation period for the reigning African champions.
The stakes could not be higher for this group of players, many of whom were part of the historic run to the Round of 16 at the previous World Cup. Ellis believes this mix of veteran leadership and emerging talent is equipped to handle the pressure of knockout football.
The road to the 2027 World Cup in Brazil
The preliminary phase of this competition takes shape from November 28 to December 5, and the final phase will commence in February 2027. During that secondary stage, the two qualifiers from this preliminary phase will be joined by two teams from Concacaf, one from UEFA, and one from CONMEBOL.
The South Africans will kick their campaign off against Chinese Taipei on November 28, followed by matches against Ecuador and Uzbekistan. While Papua New Guinea and Ghana are also present in the broader group, Banyana Banyana will not feature against them.
Ellis’s ladies must finish first or second in Rabat to advance to the final phase of qualifying, which will consist of single-match ties.
For South Africa, returning to Morocco provides a chance for redemption following their premature exit from the WAFCON earlier this year. The players are well-acquainted with the facilities in Rabat, which should aid their acclimatisation during the opening week of the play-offs. Maintaining their status as one of the elite teams in women’s football remains the primary objective for Ellis and her ambitious squad as they head north.
Biography: I studied journalism at Rhodes University and began my career writing features for a variety of entertainment magazines. I soon moved from print to digital and began focusing on sports when I joined the Perform Group in 2014. After covering such diverse sports stories as the Oscar Pistorius trial and aeroplanes full of cash heading to the Ghana men’s national team at the Brazil World Cup, I began to focus exclusively on football and GOAL.
My Football Story: I’m a lifelong Spurs fan who found himself a long way from Tottenham. I once dreamed of winning the Ballon d’Or as a goalkeeper but discovered I was better at stringing sentences together than I was at world-class saves.
Areas of Expertise:
PSL (South African domestic league)Tottenham HotspurAfrican continental competitions at club and international level
Favourite football memory: The one thing I desperately wanted to achieve as a goalkeeper was to score a goal. In my second-last match before retiring, on a windy, freezing Joburg winter pitch I launched the ball long and one bounce off that rock hard pitch and it looped over their keeper and in! I am not ashamed to admit I celebrated more than if I’d scored a winner in the World Cup final.