By OBAKENG MAJE
28 May 2025 – Banyana Banyana coach, Dr Desiree Ellis and her Botswana and Zambia counterparts met at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Tuesday ahead of the highly anticipated #ThreeNations Series featuring the three countries. The #ThreeNations series, which serves as vital preparation for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco in July 2025, kicks off today in Atteridgeville, with Banyana Banyana squaring off against Botswana’s Mares at 3pm.
Ellis, Botswana’s head coach Alex Malete and Zambia’s Nora Häuptle, are happy to test themselves against their neighbours as part of their preparations.
The three COSAFA countries, who have all qualified for the upcoming continental tournament, are using the series to test combinations, assess readiness, and fine-tune tactical details ahead of WAFCON in July 2025. Ellis spoke about the value of facing two strong opponents, and how the series will reveal where the Sasol-sponsored South African senior women’s national team currently stands in their preparation journey.
“This will help us to see what we still need to work on. As I said, ever-improving Botswana and Zambia, who’ve been to back-to-back Olympics, bring that level of experience. As Coach Nora mentioned, having their U17s qualify for back-to-back World Cups also adds to that. We’ll have to test where we are and what still needs refining,” she said.
Botswana’s Malete welcomed the challenge of facing two strong teams, noting the importance of these matchups for his side’s development.
“These two games come at a time when we really need them, and against the two best teams in Africa. It’s all about refining the details. We had a short camp ahead of these matches, so we’ve been working on team tactics. After the games, we’ll review the videos and work on the finer details,” he said.
Zambia’s Häuptle, whose side only flew today due to political unrest back home, thanked her staff for ensuring the team could travel under challenging circumstances.
“We look forward to facing South Africa and Botswana – all three of us are WAFCON-qualified, and this will be a good test,” she said.
Zambia will open their #ThreeNations campaign on 31 May, against Botswana, before closing the series against Banyana Banyana on 3 June 2025, also at Lucas Moripe Stadium. All matches in the series will kick off at 3pm.
Meanwhile, tickets for the matches are available on Ticketpro, priced at R40 for adults and R20 for children. The #ThreeNations Series not only celebrates top-tier African women’s football but provides crucial match minutes and preparation for all three nations ahead of one of the continent’s most prestigious tournaments.
South African fans are encouraged to come out in numbers to support Banyana Banyana as they defend their continental crown. Ticketpro – Banyana Banyana vs Botswana – 28 May 2025.
The Guardian 