“A Psychological Blow” – Jane Opens Up On WAFCON Delay Drama
Banyana Banyana captain Refiloe Jane admitted the postponement of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) was a “mental blow”, as the team had already reached peak readiness for the tournament.
The competition was initially scheduled to begin in mid-March and conclude in early April in Morocco, but it was postponed for reasons not disclosed by the Confederation of African Football.
At the time of the announcement, Banyana were already in camp in Polokwane in February, preparing for the tournament, although uncertainty had lingered over whether it would go ahead.
Reports suggested that Morocco was no longer willing to host the tournament after losing the Africa Cup of Nations final to Senegal under controversial circumstances.
However, CAF’s Appeals Board later ruled in favour of Morocco, awarding them the title after Senegal walked off the pitch in protest over a penalty decision. Senegal had also scored a goal shortly before, which was disallowed for a foul in the build-up.
Following the ruling, CAF president Patrice Motsepe confirmed that the tournament would still be hosted in Morocco, now scheduled to take place between June and August.
“Obviously, it wasn’t easy,” Jane told Sportswire.
“We had worked towards the tournament earlier on, but with the postponement, it means we have to come back and work even harder.
“Psychologically, it wasn’t easy, but we have a good team behind us to help us stay focused and motivated.”
Banyana have since returned to camp, restarting preparations for the rescheduled tournament in July. They will play two international friendlies against Algeria in Durban.
The matches are set to take place at Princess Magogo Stadium on Tuesday and King Zwelithini Stadium on Friday.
Head coach Desiree Ellis, who guided Banyana to the WAFCON title in 2022—also held in Morocco—admitted her disappointment over the postponement.
“It was disappointing that WAFCON was postponed, but it is what it is,” said the four-time CAF Coach of the Year.
“We have to reassess and replan. I’m fortunate that we were able to secure friendly matches at short notice, because most teams had already finalised their schedules. Algeria are a good opponent — another North African side.
“We’ve played many West African teams before, but now we are facing a different type of opponent, one that is also possession-based.
“Coming to Durban helps because the conditions are likely to be similar to what we’ll experience at WAFCON, especially in terms of the heat.
“By June and July, it is winter in South Africa, which is ideal for us. We also know that Durban offers great support — we’ve had good crowds before, and we want to see that continue to grow.”
