08 July 2023 – The South African senior women’s team can officially commence with their FIFA Women’s World Cup preparations after the second group landed in Wellington, New Zealand on Saturday morning (8 July 2023).
The team travelled in two separate groups due to insufficient business class seats in the first flight from Johannesburg. The South African Football Association committed to ensuring that the whole team travelled to the FIFA Women’s World Cup on business class. The first group left South Africa on Wednesday evening (5 July 2023) while the second group left the country on Thursday (6 July 2023).
The Women’s Africa Cup of Nations champions quickly got into the business of things in the cold in Wellington with gym sessions to help with recovery from the jet lag. The team will have an official training session on Sunday (8 July 2023) as the focus shifts to their final friendly match against Costa Rica at the Nga Puna Wai Sport Complex in Christchurch, New Zealand, on 15 July 2023.
The SASOL-sponsored Banyana Banyana will be making will be making their second appearance at the global showpiece and kick off their FIFA Women’s World Cup campaign against Sweden on 23 July 2023.
The 23-member squad as selected by coach Desiree Ellis is in camp, however, there was a change in the standby list (which also travelled to New Zealand) with youngster NthabisengMajiya released from the camp due to an injury and Siphumelele Shamase of UJ FC was called up as a replacement.