Banyana Banyana still playing on an uneven field, report finds
In response, Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture Gayton McKenzie verbally pledged R100 million for women's sport.
A Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) report has highlighted ongoing issues faced by South Africa's women's football team, Banyana Banyana, who are still being asked to play on an "uneven field" despite reaching the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) quarter-finals. The report, presented at a sports, arts and culture portfolio meeting, identified funding and sponsorship as the most urgent challenges facing women's football.
While Banyana Banyana received R1.2 million in rewards after winning the 2022 WAFCON, Bafana Bafana players received R520 000 each after reaching the quarter-finals of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) - R120 000 more per player despite not winning the tournament. The sponsor, Sasol, acknowledged that Banyana Banyana had fewer sponsors than the men's team.
In response to the findings, Minister Gayton McKenzie pledged R100 million for women's sport, but there remains uncertainty over the specifics of the funding and how it will specifically improve player welfare.
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