Desiree Ellis Sets Sights on 2027 World Cup as Revised WAFCON Fixtures Are Confirmed
Sasol Banyana Banyana head coach Dr Desiree Ellis has applauded the Confederation of African Football following the release of the revised fixtures for the 2026 CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
According to the latest fixtures, the tournament will kick off on 26 July 2026, a day later than the initial date of 25 July 2026. South Africa will be in action on the second day of competition rather than on the opening day as previously stated. The 2022 African champions will also now be based in Casablanca instead of Rabat, as initially announced after the draw.
“This is a very important tournament, and the mission remains the same for us, we want to qualify for the World Cup in Brazil next year.”
Sasol Banyana Banyana Head Coach, Dr Desiree Ellis
Ellis welcomed the changes, particularly the longer break between matches.
“The new fixture gives us three days of rest in-between matches instead of the previous one where we only had two days to recover. This move is a clear indication that the welfare of players has been taken into consideration, more so because of the hot conditions expected during the tournament period. We applaud CAF for that move and say thank you as this will help most teams,” said Ellis.
Banyana Banyana will play all their Group B matches at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca and will be in action on Monday, 27 July 2026, when they take on Tanzania at 18h00 local time in Morocco (19h00 SA time).
Four days later, on Friday, 31 July, the 2022 African champions tackle Côte d’Ivoire at the same time, while the final group stage fixture is against Burkina Faso on Tuesday, 4 August at 22h00 SA time.
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The 2026 WAFCON has taken on added meaning for all 16 participating teams, as the top four teams will also secure their places at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
“What is also exciting is that now we have the confirmed fixtures, and we are able to plan thoroughly for the competition, and we will now go full blast with our plans,” added the Banyana Banyana mentor.
“This is a very important tournament, and the mission remains the same for us, we want to qualify for the World Cup in Brazil next year. Now that we have all the information regarding the 2026 WAFCON, we will announce our plans soon, and this includes naming the final squad for the tournament.”
Hosts Morocco will begin their campaign on 26 July with a clash against Kenya at Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat, where the North Africans will be based. The quarterfinals are scheduled for 8 and 9 August at four different venues: Moulay El Hassan Stadium and Al Madina Stadium, both in Rabat, as well as Moulay Rachid Stadium and Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca.
Rabat will host the semi-finals at Moulay El Hassan Stadium and Olympic Stadium on Wednesday, 12 August. The final has been pencilled in for Sunday, 16 August at either Moulay El Hassan or Moulay Abdellah Stadium. This will be preceded by the third-place play-off on Saturday, 15 August at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat.
Nigeria are the defending champions after defeating Morocco in the final last year, with Ghana finishing third and South Africa claiming fourth spot.
The 2026 CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Group B fixtures for Banyana Banyana, all at the Moulay Rachid Stadium, Casablanca, Morocco (All CAT times)
Mon 27 July, 19h00: South Africa vs. Tanzania
Fri 31 July, 19h00: South Africa vs. Côte d’Ivoire
Tue 4 August, 22h00: Burkina Faso vs. South Africa
Original Copy: SAFA, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: Sasol Banyana Banyana head coach Dr Desiree Ellis prepares to lead South Africa into the 2026 CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, where the 2022 African champions open their Group B campaign against Tanzania at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca, Morocco, on Monday, 27 July 2026. All Photos: Supplied
Photo 2 Caption: Dr Ellis: “Now that we have all the information, we will announce our plans soon, and this includes naming the final squad for the tournament.”
Crédito: Link de origem