06 July 2023 – After more than three weeks in the local preparation and selection camp, the South African senior women’s team officially departed for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup on Wednesday evening (5 July 2023).
The tournament will be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand from 20 July to 20 August 2023.
The SASOL-sponsored Banyana Banyana assembled for camp on 12 June 2023 with a preliminary squad that went through a series of training sessions before coach Desiree Ellis announced her official 23-member squad plus three standby players on 23 June 2023.
Deputy Minister of Sport Art, Culture Ms. Nocawe Mafu was at the O.R Tambo International airport to see the team off and wish them well.
“Go now, everything else is behind you. Change your mindset now, go out there and enjoy the tournament, no pressure. But also remember you are part of the 32 teams out of 200 that qualified for this World Cup, nobody must put pressure on you,” said Mafu.
“We are behind you a 100 percent. The Minister (Zizi Kodwa) could not be here to see you off but he said I must tell you guys to go out and enjoy the event and he will see you on the 23rd of July for your opening match against Sweden. I will see you eight days later because you will still be in there.”
Group two will leave South Africa on Thursday (6 July 2023) to join up with the rest of the team and continue with preparations for the final friendly match against Costa Rica on 15 July 2023 before the official start of the tournament five days later.
For all Banyana Banyana News please visit www.www.safa.netand follow all our social media pages.