Desiree Ellis calls up 38 players for 2026 COSAFA and WAFCON tournaments
Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis has unveiled a provisional 38-member squad for an intensive alignment camp ahead of two major tournaments in 2026 — the COSAFA Women’s Championship and the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
The camp kicks off on Friday, 13 February 2026, with locally based players reporting first. International-based stars will join later, on 25 February, when the FIFA window opens.
South Africa will first contest the COSAFA Women’s Championship in Polokwane from 18 February to 1 March, where they’ve been drawn in Group A alongside Malawi, Lesotho, and Angola. The tournament draw was conducted earlier this month in Polokwane.
After COSAFA, Ellis will trim the squad before shifting full focus to the WAFCON in Morocco, scheduled for 17 March to 3 April 2026. The alignment camp is designed to ensure continuity, with players training together through both competitions.
