Gaborone — The senior women's football national team, The Mares, reported for camp on September 14 to prepare for the Olympic qualifier clash.
Their first assignment for the Los Angeles 2028, Africa qualifiers will be against Tanzania on home soil on October 5.
The winner between Botswana and Tanzania will face the winner between Ethiopia and Rwanda in the third round of the qualifiers.
The team's head coach, Gaolethoo Nkutlwisang said the technical team had called 28 players for assessment, including seven foreign-based players.
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She said the preliminary squad was made up of both young and experienced players.
"I must say our players are improving every day. If you look at the team that went to Saudi Arabia, and some of the players who were recently competing during the COSAFA tournament, you will see growth," she said.
As part of the preparations for the qualifier, she said The Mares would take on Namibia in an international friendly game to be played of September 26, at a venue to be announced.
She said they were not leaving anything to chance as their intention was to do well in the qualifiers.
She said she wanted Botswana to be counted among the best.
Meanwhile, a total of 35 women football national teams will compete in the qualifiers. According to CAF, the qualifier competition will take five qualifying rounds, with two teams to represent Africa at the Los Angeles Olympic Games Women's Football Tournament, scheduled for July 11-29, 2028.
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