South Africa’s women’s national football team, Banyana Banyana, will begin their 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) campaign against Ghana on Monday, 7 July 2025.
Banyana Banyana vs Ghana teams and kick off time
The match will take place at the Honneur Stadium in Oujda, Morocco, with kick-off scheduled for 18:00 SAST (17:00 local time).
The match marks South Africa’s first step in defending the WAFCON title they won in 2022.
Despite their status as reigning champions, preparations were interrupted last week when players staged a boycott over wage disputes with the South African Football Association (SAFA).
Coach Desiree Ellis has downplayed the disruption, expressing confidence in the squad’s readiness.
“We’ve done a lot of analysis,” said Ellis.
“We came to Morocco early to prepare, and we are now ready for the game. We just need to put our game plan in place.”
Co-captain Refiloe Jane echoed this sentiment, saying:
“This is the opening game of the tournament for us. It’s going to be a very difficult one. They are a completely different team, but we are prepared.”
South Africa enter the match with an impressive 2025 record of seven wins from seven games.
Their starting line-up is expected to include key players from the 2022 title-winning squad, such as Andile Dlamini, Bambanani Mbane, Jermaine Seoposenwe, Linda Motlhalo, and Hildah Magaia, alongside emerging talent like Fikile Magama.
Banyana Banyana predicted line-up:
Dlamini; Ramalepe, Magama, Mbane, Makhubela; Gamede, Jane, Seoposenwe; Cesane, Motlhalo, Magaia.
For Ghana, this marks a return to WAFCON after missing out on the last edition. Head coach Kim Lars Björkegren acknowledged their underdog status but expressed optimism:
“We are not one of the biggest favourites, but I know we have the quality in this group to beat all of the teams in this tournament.”
Goalkeeper Cynthia Konlan Findib highlighted the importance of the opportunity, saying, “This is our first time playing the tournament for many of us and we are really grateful.”
Banyana Banyana vs Ghana prediction
South Africa hold the upper hand going into the fixture based on current form and rankings. Banyana Banyana, ranked 54th globally, are 12 places above Ghana and have won all their fixtures this year.
Ghana’s Black Queens, on the other hand, have struggled for consistency, winning only three out of their last eight matches.
Although Ghana did win the last official WAFCON meeting between the two sides in 2016, South Africa’s squad depth and recent performances suggest a different outcome this time around.
Predicted score: South Africa 2 – 1 Ghana
Disclaimer: This prediction is based on current team form and historical data. It is speculative and does not guarantee the actual result of the match.