Inside Banyana’s WAFCON preparations with Ellis

With the postponed Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) set to begin in July, Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis has provided some insight into the team’s preparations for the tournament.

WAFCON 2026 was initially scheduled to take place in March and April this year, but was postponed to July and August 2026 due to "certain unforeseen circumstances," CAF said.

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With the competition now just over a month away, the Banyana coach has offered a brief update on their preparations.

The South African side will also be boosted by their recent historic victory over Japan women's national football team, who are ranked fourth in the world according to FIFA.

Among other things, Ellis also told KickOff why university institutions are beneficial to the women’s game and why there is such longevity in Banyana, with more than a handful of players having reached a century of caps for the national team.