Banyana Banyana are through to the quarterfinals of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after beating Burkina Faso 1-0 in Casablanca, Morocco, on Tuesday night.
Also see: Banyana Banyana to fight for survival in crucial match against Burkina Faso
Banyana Banyana advances in WAFCON showdown
The women’s senior team will now face the hosts, Morocco, in the quarterfinals in Rabat on Saturday, 8 August 2026, after Thembi Kgatlana scored the all-important sole and winning goal in the 21st minute.
SAFA President Dr Danny Jordaan congratulated the team, saying: “Well done, Banyana Banyana. We are fully behind you, and we are aware that one more victory will qualify us for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil in 2027.”
Banyana Banyana end the night victorious as they beat Burkina Faso 1-0 and progress to the last 8 pic.twitter.com/dixH6bqMm5
— Sasol Banyana Banyana (@Banyana_Banyana) August 4, 2026
𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗠𝗘𝗗 🇿🇦🇲🇦
Banyana Banyana will face hosts Morocco in the 2026 WAFCON quarter-final.
The winner of the tie will qualify for the 2027 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. #WAFCON2026 pic.twitter.com/Aj3hCVL5cY
— iDiski Times (@iDiskiTimes) August 4, 2026
Banyana Banyana’s tournament journey
The road to qualification was far from straightforward for Desiree Ellis’ side. The former champions suffered a shock 2-1 defeat to Tanzania in their opening match before battling to a 2-2 draw against Côte d’Ivoire, leaving their tournament hopes hanging by a thread heading into the final round of fixtures.
Facing a must-win encounter against Burkina Faso, Banyana Banyana rose to the occasion with a disciplined and spirited performance.
Also see: Banyana Banyana start COSAFA Cup with confident win over Malawi
The victory, combined with Côte d’Ivoire’s triumph over Tanzania, was enough to see South Africa book a place in the quarterfinals and keep their title defence alive.
With the group stage behind them, the team will now shift their focus to the quarterfinals, where the competition is expected to become even more intense.
The 2026 edition of the WAFCON doubles up as a FIFA World Cup qualifier, and only the top four teams will book their tickets to Brazil, South America.
The 1-0 win over Burkina Faso was enough to see Banyana Banyana through to the quarterfinals of WAFCON 2026 pic.twitter.com/RKD6er1lSr
— Sasol Banyana Banyana (@Banyana_Banyana) August 4, 2026
Also see: Banyana Banyana under pressure as Ivory Coast awaits in crucial WAFCON battle
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