Congo-Kinshasa/South Africa: Banyana Banyana Secure 2026 Wafcon Spot With Dramatic Victory Over DR Congo in Soweto.

By Yanga Sibembe

As her contractual negotiations with the South African Football Association continue, coach Desiree Ellis was once again missing from the bench as Banyana Banyana sealed their place at the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations.

Banyana Banyana have qualified for the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) after defeating Democratic Republic of Congo 2-1 on aggregate in their second-round qualifying encounter. The first leg, played in Kinshasa, ended 1-1.

But Banyana won the second leg 1-0 in Soweto on Tuesday, 28 October 2025. The South Africans knew that they could not just depend on the fact that they had scored an away goal. Fleet-footed forward Thembi Kgatlana was the match-winner after being absent from the team for months.

Having been denied by Congolese goalkeeper Khonde Kashala on numerous occasions during the clash, Kgatlana finally broke the deadlock in the dying moments of the game. The win ensured that Banyana Banyana sealed a ticket to their 15th Wafcon tournament.

Crucial qualifier

The match was doubly important to win because next year's Wafcon will also serve as a qualifier for the 2027 women's soccer World Cup.

"We had to win. We had to. Yes, we were frustrated towards the end of...

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