Botswana: Cosafa and BFA Confirm Botswana As Host of CAF Women's Champions League 2026 Cosafa Qualifier

The Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) and the Botswana Football Association (BFA) are pleased to confirm that Botswana will host the 2026 COSAFA Qualifier for the CAF Women's Champions League from 6-15 August.

The tournament will bring together the leading women's clubs from across the Southern African region, with the winners earning the right to represent COSAFA at the continental finals of the CAF Women's Champions League 2026.

It will be a special occasion for Botswana football, with reigning COSAFA champions Gaborone United Ladies FC set to defend their title on home soil. Gaborone United claimed the 2025 regional crown after defeating Zambia's ZESCO Ndola Girls 4-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in the final in Johannesburg.

Their victory was a landmark achievement for the club and for women's football in Botswana, as they became the fourth different winner of the COSAFA Qualifier after Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies, Green Buffaloes and the University of the Western Cape.

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The hosting of the 2026 edition will also mark the return of a major COSAFA tournament to Botswana for the first time since the COSAFA Under-20 Championship in 2011, adding further significance to the event.

BFA President Tariq Babitseng, who was also recently elected President of COSAFA, said the Association was proud to partner with COSAFA in staging a tournament that continues to grow in stature and importance.

"We are honoured that Botswana has been entrusted with hosting the 2026 COSAFA Qualifier for the CAF Women's Champions League," Babitseng said. "This is a proud moment for the Botswana Football Association and for the country as a whole.

"Women's football in Botswana has made enormous progress in recent years, and the success of Gaborone United Ladies FC is a clear example of what is possible when there is commitment, investment and belief.

"To have our champions defend their regional title on home soil will be a major inspiration to young girls and women across Botswana. We are looking forward to welcoming the COSAFA family and staging a tournament that reflects the passion, hospitality and organisational ability of our country."

The COSAFA Qualifier for the CAF Women's Champions League was introduced following the launch of the continental club competition in 2021 and has quickly become one of the most important events on the regional calendar.

Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies won the inaugural COSAFA Qualifier in 2021 and went on to claim the continental title that same year. Green Buffaloes of Zambia lifted the regional trophy in 2022, before Sundowns returned to the top of the podium in 2023.

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The University of the Western Cape were champions in 2024, while Gaborone United made history for Botswana with their triumph in 2025.

The competition has provided a vital platform for clubs, players, coaches and officials to test themselves at elite level, while also strengthening domestic women's leagues across the region. It has showcased the growing depth of talent in Southern Africa and provided a pathway to the CAF Women's Champions League finals.

The 2025 edition featured a record 10 teams, underlining the continued growth of the tournament and the increasing competitiveness of women's club football in the COSAFA region.

COSAFA and the BFA will announce further details on participating teams, venues, fixtures and tournament logistics in due course.

Both organisations look forward to working closely with all stakeholders to deliver a successful 2026 edition and to continue using the tournament as a platform for the development, visibility and advancement of women's football in Southern Africa.

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