Banyana Banyana face tricky first leg in DR Congo Wafcon qualifier

Banyana Banyana will resume their quest for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) on Wednesday, facing the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) in the first leg of their qualifier. Kick-off is at 6pm South African time in Kinshasa.

IOL Sports Michael Sherman reports that the 2022 Wafcon champions aim to secure a strong result away from home to keep their qualification hopes on track. While Nigeria remains Africa’s top-ranked team at 32nd in the world, Banyana sit second in the continent at 45th globally.

Squad changes and preparation key

Banyana captain Refiloe Jane highlighted the challenge ahead: “It is very important to qualify for the Wafcon, so the results are what is important for the team. With the changes that DRC have, it won’t be easy. So we’ll have to prepare very well and try to get a good result.”

Coach Thinasonke Mbuli also acknowledged the difficulty of the tie. “I think that DR Congo and Banyana Banyana are (in the same boat). We lost our last game at WAFCON to Ghana, but perhaps the advantage to DR Congo is that they were in a tough group with Morocco and Zambia. 

"Those matches, even though DR Congo didn’t make it to the knockouts, might have helped them prepare well for these qualifiers.”

The first leg in Kinshasa will test Banyana’s tactical approach and adaptability, with squad changes in DR Congo presenting new challenges. The return leg is scheduled for October 28 in South Africa, giving Banyana a chance to secure their passage to the continental tournament on home soil.