Soccer
Banyana eye Olympic progress in Bloemfontein─── MORGAN PIEK 09:02 Wed, 07 Oct 2026
Banyana Banyana return to Bloemfontein this week for the first time in more than eight years, but there is far more at stake than simply ending a lengthy absence from the Free State.
The 2022 African champions face Madagascar in a two-leg Olympic qualifying tie, with the winner advancing in the race to secure a place at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The first leg takes place at the Toyota Stadium on Friday, and the return fixture is scheduled for Tuesday, also in Bloemfontein.
It has been a long wait for Banyana to return to the city, and this time, however, the importance of their return is much greater.
Head coach Desiree Ellis has named a strong squad for the opening hurdle on the road to Los Angeles, combining established international stars with several promising youngsters.
Banyana started training in Bloemfontein on Tuesday. Photo: SAFA
South Africa are ranked second in Africa, while Madagascar are 191st in the FIFA world rankings.
Despite that considerable difference, Ellis is taking nothing for granted and has stressed the importance of making a positive start to the campaign.
The squad boasts considerable experience throughout the team.
Andile Dlamini, Kaylin Swart, and Kebotseng Moletsane provide depth in goal, while the defensive options include the likes of Bambanani Mbane and Karabo Dhlamini.
In midfield, captain Refiloe Jane will provide leadership alongside Linda Motlhalo, Amogelang Motau, Kholosa Biyana, Nomvula Kgoale, and Sphumelele Shamase.
There is also plenty of attacking quality, with Thembi Kgatlana, Hildah Magaia, Jermaine Seoposenwe, and Siyamthanda Qashani among the players capable of making an impact in the final third.
Ellis is particularly pleased with the balance between youth and experience, with the Madagascar tie also providing valuable preparation ahead of the Women’s World Cup playoffs against Chinese Taipei and Ecuador in November.
“We’ve got a good group of youth and experience. We’ve also called Siyamthanda because she did really well for her club, Tuks, and we always say we want to reward players.
“But it’s not just about this game, of course, it’s about the games in November as well. So we’re using it twofold because you have very little time to prepare, and we know that is a very big tournament as well that we need to prepare for.
Banyana brought most of their big names to Bloemfontein. Photo: SAFA
“We’ll be preparing for Madagascar, but also looking at how we can get the team to be a better version of themselves come November.”
For Ellis, however, the immediate priority is making sure Banyana Banyana return to the Olympic stage.
South Africa missed out on both the Tokyo and Paris Games, and the coach is determined not to suffer another disappointment in the qualification process.
“We haven’t qualified for the last two Olympics. We got knocked out in the first round in 2019 and reached the final round against Nigeria, losing narrowly.
“It’s really important that we start getting to the Olympics. We qualified back-to-back in the past and then didn’t qualify for two.
“It’s important to qualify for these global events because the newer players that come in, the younger players that come in, will also gain a lot of experience through that.
“So it’s really important that we get off to a good start on Friday to make sure that we get to the next round.”
Both matches in Bloemfontein will kick off at 18:00.
