Can a second Wafcon title close South Africa’s support gap between Banyana Banyana and Bafana Bafana?

Banyana Banyana have reached the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals, but even another continental title may not be enough to secure the level of public support and national celebration enjoyed by Bafana Bafana.

South Africa’s women secured their place in the last eight with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Burkina Faso in their final Group B match in Morocco.

Their progress has revived a wider question about the place of women’s football in South African sport: what would it take for Banyana Banyana to command the same nationwide devotion as their male counterparts?

Bafana Bafana’s historic run to the knockout stages of the FIFA World Cup united the country and led to a hero’s welcome when the players returned home. The scale of that reception demonstrated the emotional and commercial power of the men’s national team.

Banyana Banyana, however, did not receive anything close to the same level of public fanfare after winning the Wafcon title in 2022. Unless they go all the way in Morocco and successfully defend their crown, another major national celebration appears unlikely.

That contrast has once again highlighted the persistent imbalance between men’s and women’s sport. Although there is an obvious argument that women’s football should attract equal enthusiasm and recognition, the difference in support is also shaped by the financial structures surrounding the two games.

A major financial gap

Football is South Africa’s most popular sport, with the Premier Soccer League (PSL) serving as its main financial engine.

The PSL generates more than R1 billion in revenue during a season. The Hollywoodbets Super League, by comparison, operates on approximately R17 million a year.

The gap becomes even more striking when club valuations are considered. A single elite squad, such as Mamelodi Sundowns, is valued at nearly R760 million – vastly more than the annual financial scale of the women’s domestic competition.

Those figures help explain why the men’s game attracts greater commercial attention, stronger financial backing and a wider public following. They also show that the difference between Banyana Banyana and Bafana Bafana is not solely about results or national pride, but about the broader ecosystem supporting each team.

Banyana Banyana’s 2022 Wafcon triumph was a landmark achievement for South African football. A successful title defence would represent another significant moment for the country’s sport and could strengthen the team’s profile.

Yet a second Wafcon victory alone may not transform the relationship between the women’s national team and the public. Unless the financial foundations of women’s football improve, even back-to-back continental success may do little to alter the existing imbalance.

The challenge, therefore, extends beyond what happens on the pitch in Morocco. Banyana Banyana’s latest campaign can deliver another trophy, but lasting change in their level of support will depend on whether South Africa’s women’s football structure receives the investment and commercial growth needed to close the gap with the men’s game.