Banyana Banyana secured their place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations with a 1-0 victory over Burkina Faso on Tuesday night.
The defending champions from 2022 needed a positive result after a difficult start to their Group B campaign, and Thembi Kgatlana’s first-half goal proved enough to send them through to the knockout stage.
South Africa went into the match at Rashid Moulay Stadium at the bottom of the group and under pressure to collect all three points. Desiree Ellis’ side had taken only one point from their opening two fixtures, losing to Tanzania before drawing with Ivory Coast.
That sequence of results left Banyana Banyana needing victory against Burkina Faso to keep their hopes of progressing alive. They responded with a disciplined performance and protected their advantage after Kgatlana’s decisive strike before the interval.
Burkina Faso were unable to find a reply, allowing South Africa to claim the result they required and move into the last eight of the competition.
Their qualification does not end the uncertainty around the final Group B standings, however. Banyana Banyana still need Ivory Coast to defeat Tanzania in the other group match because the Confederation of African Football (CAF) uses head-to-head records to separate teams level on points.
South Africa are among the leading contenders to win this year’s tournament, having last lifted the WAFCON trophy in 2022. Their progress to the quarter-finals also brings them closer to a place at the 2027 Women’s FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
The four teams that reach the semi-finals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations will automatically qualify for the 2027 Women’s FIFA World Cup. As a result, South Africa are now within two victories of securing their place at the global tournament, provided they continue their run beyond the quarter-final stage.
Banyana Banyana’s immediate focus will be on the next round, where they will look to build on the result against Burkina Faso and maintain their challenge for another continental title.
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