Bambanani Mbane rallies Banyana Banyana for Nigeria battle after WAFCON 2026 heartbreak

Banyana Banyana veteran defender Bambanani Mbane has urged South Africa to put their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations disappointment behind them and remain focused on securing a place at next year’s World Cup.

South Africa’s hopes of automatic qualification were ended by hosts Morocco, who fought back to beat Banyana 2-1 at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat on Saturday.

The defeat means South Africa must now take the longer route to the global tournament, with Nigeria standing between them and a place in the intercontinental play-offs.

Despite admitting that Banyana did not produce their best football at the tournament, Mbane believes there is still an opportunity to salvage their World Cup campaign.

“I think from the beginning of the tournament, we didn’t do our best. I think it was not our time. Unfortunately there’s nothing we can do now to change what has happened, but we can still qualify for the World Cup,” she said.

The experienced defender is already looking ahead to Thursday’s crucial encounter against Nigeria at Stade Moulay Rachid in Casablanca.

“We must just chin up and focus on the next game against Nigeria. We know that it’s going to be a difficult game but we will go all out.”

Nigeria showdown awaits

South Africa will face the Super Falcons at 10pm SA time, with the fixture carrying significant stakes for both teams.

Nigeria have historically enjoyed the upper hand in the rivalry, winning 15 of the 25 meetings between the sides. Banyana have recorded only four victories, while six encounters have ended in draws.

Karabo Dhlamini acknowledged the frustration within the South African camp after missing out on direct qualification but stressed that the team cannot afford to dwell on the setback.

“We are disappointed because now we have to take a longer route [of qualifying for the World Cup], but we have to lift our heads up and make sure we win on Thursday.”

Tough road to Brazil

The intercontinental play-offs will be played in two phases between November and February, with three World Cup places ultimately available.

The preliminary phase will feature six teams — two from CAF, two from AFC, one from OFC and the lower-ranked CONMEBOL side. They will compete at a centralised venue, with teams placed into three tiers for predetermined matches.

The top two sides will progress to the final phase, where they will join four teams given byes: two from Concacaf, one from UEFA and the higher-ranked CONMEBOL team.

Those six teams will contest single knockout matches, with the three winners securing the remaining World Cup places in Brazil.

For now, however, Mbane’s message is clear: South Africa must forget the disappointment in Rabat and focus entirely on Nigeria.

With their direct route to the World Cup gone, Banyana Banyana have little room for another setback.