Full House In Morocco: Kgatlana And Overseas Stars Join Banyana Ahead Of WAFCON Opener
Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis has expressed her excitement at having a full squad at her disposal—including star striker Thembi Kgatlana—ahead of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
South Africa now has their complete roster in camp in Morocco following the arrival of overseas-based players Kgatlana and Amogelang Motau (both based in Mexico), Bongeka Gamede (Denmark), and Linda Motlhalo (Scotland).
Both Kgatlana and Gamede have already joined full training sessions, while Motau and Motlhalo are set to join their first session on Wednesday.
Kgatlana missed last year’s tournament due to personal reasons—a tournament where Banyana reached the semi-finals before falling to eventual champions Nigeria. She also suffered a tournament-ending injury during the final group match of the 2022 edition, though South Africa rallied to conquer the continent for the first time.
“It’s very exciting to have them here. We have sat down with them to show them what we worked on last week so that they can continue with the preparations. Of course, there are only a couple of days to go, and we need to make sure everybody understands what it is that we need to do,” said Ellis.
Among the 26-player squad selected for WAFCON 2026 is midfielder Robyn Moodaly-Salgado, who returns to the national setup for the first time since the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Moodaly-Salgado was also a key figure in the historic 2022 WAFCON-winning side.
“Obviously, I haven’t been here for a while, so I’m really excited to be back wearing the national team colours. It’s super exciting to be back, to be welcomed again, to play alongside my teammates and to be part of the WAFCON setup once more. I’m really looking forward to it.
“I’m ecstatic. It’s a new year, with new expectations and new goals. We want to qualify for the World Cup, and we want to bring the trophy home again,” she said.
WAFCON 2026 kicks off on Sunday, with South Africa beginning their campaign on Monday, 27 July against Tanzania. Group stage fixtures against Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso will follow.
The top four nations at the tournament will automatically qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
