Banyana Banyana History

South Africa's women played their first official international on 30 May 1993, beating Eswatini 14–0. Desiree Ellis, who would later coach the team, played in that match and scored three goals. SAFA describes the side as having announced itself on the continental stage with its debut in 1995, and the nickname Banyana Banyana, "the girls, the girls", followed the men's Bafana Bafana into everyday use.

The long road to a continental title

For almost three decades, Banyana Banyana were one of Africa's strongest teams without being its champions. South Africa finished as runners-up in the Women's Africa Cup of Nations in 1995, 2000, 2008, 2012 and 2018, most often behind Nigeria, which dominated the competition for years.

The wait ended at the 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. South Africa beat the hosts 2–1 in the final in Rabat to win the tournament for the first time in its history. Reaching that final had already secured a place at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.

World Cups and the Olympics

Banyana Banyana made their FIFA Women's World Cup debut in 2019 in France. Four years later, in the tournament co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, they made history by reaching the second round, the round of 16, for the first time, after a dramatic group-stage win over Italy. The team has also played at the Olympic Games, appearing at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 tournaments.

Ellis, who took charge of the team in 2016, became the face of that era: a player from the first official match who later led the side to its first continental crown.

Building a league behind the team

A national team needs a domestic competition to feed it, and for years South African women's football relied on regional leagues. In August 2019, SAFA announced the formation of the SAFA Women's National League, with a first season in 2019–20. Its start was pushed back to accommodate Banyana Banyana's participation at the 2019 World Cup.

The league's first line-up had 12 teams, including provincial champions, two women's sides affiliated to PSL clubs and the university league champion. It gave players regular competitive football at home, and a clearer path from provincial and university football to the national team.

Banyana Banyana's history, then, has three strands: the continental one, from the 1995 debut to the 2022 title; the global one, from a first World Cup in 2019 to the knockout stage in 2023; and the domestic one, a national league running since 2019. SAFA publishes squad news and fixtures for readers who want to follow the next chapter.