Banyana Banyana face two-stage battle to reach 2027 Women’s World Cup

Banyana Banyana will need to win three decisive matches over the coming months if they are to qualify for next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, after their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign ended in the quarter-finals.

South Africa were beaten 2-1 by hosts Morocco last Saturday, leaving Desiree Ellis’ side with a longer and more difficult route to the global tournament.

Their next challenge is a play-in fixture against Nigeria. Victory over the Super Falcons would send Banyana Banyana into the FIFA Inter-Confederation Play-Off tournament, which is scheduled to take place in November and December.

The match against Nigeria will be played at Stade Moulay Rachid, with kick-off set for 22:00 South Africa time.

The inter-confederation tournament will feature women’s national teams from Asia, South America and Oceania, alongside the teams involved in South Africa’s play-in pathway.

Banyana Banyana must finish among the top two teams in the opening phase of that tournament to progress to the final qualification stage.

That decisive phase is due to be held in February. The two leading teams from the initial section will then join four higher-ranked nations from Europe, South America and North America in a final bracket.

South Africa will still have one more hurdle to clear at that point. The former African champions must win a single-elimination knockout match against an international opponent to claim one of the three remaining places at the World Cup.

In practical terms, Ellis’ team must first defeat Nigeria, then finish in the top two of the inter-confederation mini-tournament, before winning a final knockout match early next year.

The demanding route follows a disappointing end to South Africa’s continental title challenge. Their defeat by Morocco in the last eight ended their hopes of progressing further at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and means qualification for the World Cup can no longer be secured through the main tournament route.

Instead, Banyana Banyana face a sequence of high-pressure matches in which a single defeat could end their hopes. Their immediate priority is the play-in meeting with Nigeria, after which they would need to navigate the November-December tournament and the final qualification bracket in February.

The reward for completing that path would be one of the three remaining places at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.