Ellis Unveils WAFCON 2025 Roster, Excluding Kgatlana
Desiree Ellis, the head coach of Banyana Banyana, has made significant cuts to her squad as they ready themselves for the forthcoming Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco, where they aim to defend their title in July. Importantly, star forward Thembi Kgatlana will not be joining due to “personal reasons.”
Also omitted from the final roster is Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Kholosa Biyana, recognized for her ability to disrupt opponents’ midfield play.
Ellis, who previously guided Banyana Banyana to their inaugural WAFCON title in 2022, has decreased her preliminary squad from 46 to 26 players. The larger initial group was assembled to allow for any last-minute injuries ahead of the camp. Both Biyana and Kgatlana were included in this preliminary squad, and Coach Ellis is anticipated to share updates regarding their situations shortly.
Kgatlana has also missed two recent friendly matches. During the 2022 tournament victory, the former Benfica striker was sidelined due to a foot injury sustained in the group stages.
While Kgatlana was unavailable in 2022, Hilda Magaia emerged as a notable player, earning the title “the Breadwinner” after scoring two goals in the 2-0 final win over Morocco. Jermaine Seoposenwe played a crucial role, contributing key goals, while Linda Motlhalo led the attacking efforts. Refiloe Jane provided a strong presence in central midfield, and Bambanani Mbane excelled in defense alongside Bongeka Gamede. Both Mbane and Gamede are included in the current squad heading to Morocco, which strengthens the team’s ambitions.
In a statement released on Sunday evening, SAFA announced: “Hildah Magaia will be joining the camp at a later date as she is currently undergoing medical evaluations following the recent #ThreeNations Challenge in Pretoria, which featured Banyana Banyana, Zambia, and Botswana.”
The statement also commented on Kgatlana’s absence: “Thembi Kgatlana will not be attending the camp in Johannesburg and will not be part of the squad for WAFCON due to personal reasons.”
The final squad will be revealed on June 23, 2025, in Johannesburg, with the team set to depart for Morocco shortly afterward. The Sasol-sponsored African champions are placed in Group C and will begin their WAFCON campaign against Ghana on Monday, July 7, at Honneur Stadium in Oujda, which will serve as South Africa’s base during the group stages.
Banyana Banyana will then take on Tanzania on Friday, July 11, and wrap up their group stage matches against Mali on Monday, July 14.
The WAFCON tournament is scheduled to take place in Morocco from July 5 to July 26.
The opening match will see host nation Morocco face Zambia on Saturday, July 5, at the newly built Olympic Stadium in Rabat.