South Africa women's national under-17 soccer team

This article is about the women's team. For the men's team, see South Africa national under-17 soccer team.

South Africa under-17

Nickname(s)	Bantwana
Association	South African Football Association
Confederation	CAF (Africa)
Sub-confederation	COSAFA
Head coach	Ntombifuthi Khumalo
Captain	Katleho Malebane
Top scorer	Oyisa Marhasi (11 goals)
Home stadium	FNB Stadium
FIFA code	RSA
First colours Second colours
First international
Cameroon 2–0   South Africa (Yaoundé, Cameroon; 2008)
Biggest win
Seychelles 0–28   South Africa (Port Louis, Mauritius; 21 September 2019)
Biggest defeat
South Africa 0–9   Mexico   Germany 10–1   South Africa (Scarborough, Trinidad and Tobago; 8 September 2010)
African U-17 Cup of Nations
Appearances	6 (first in 2008 )
Best result	Champions (2010, 2018)
COSAFA U-17 Women's Championship
Appearances	3 (first in 2019 )
Best result	Champions (2022)
FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup
Appearances	2 (first in 2010 )
Best result	Group stage (2010, 2018)
Medal record COSAFA U-17 Women's Championship 2022 Malawi 2019 Mauritius 2020 South Africa

The South Africa women's national under-17 soccer team (Bantwana), is a youth football (soccer) team, which represents South Africa and is controlled by the South African Football Association, the governing body for football in South Africa. The team's main objective is to qualify and play at the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup and develop players for the main national team Banyana Banyana.

Bantwana hold the African record for most goals in an international match. They scored 28 goals (won 28–0) against Seychelles in the opening match of group B at the 2019 COSAFA U-17 Women's Championship. ^[1]

History

FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup

The team qualified for their maiden FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup at the 2010 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Trinidad & Tobago. ^[2] This feat made the first women's team to qualify for the World Cup. Banyana Banyana would make their World Cup debut nine years later in 2019. ^[3]

In 2018, they qualified for the 2018 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Uruguay making their second appearance at the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. ^{[4] [5]}

African U-17 Women's World Cup qualification

In the 2025 qualification, they reached the second round with a 21–2 aggregate win over Gabon. ^{[6] [7]} They failed to reach the third round qualifiers after a 5–1 aggregate loss to Nigeria. ^{[8] [9]}

COSAFA U-17 Women's Championship

The competed in the inaugural tournament in 2019 held in Mauritius. ^[10] They were runners-up to Uganda in a 2–1 defeat in the final. ^[11] They set the African goal scoring record (28 goals) in that championship. ^[1]

They won their maiden COSAFA title at the 2022 edition, defeating Zambia by 4 goals to 3 in the final. ^{[12] [13] [14]}

In 2025 the team did not enter the competition citing a tight school schedule as the reason. ^[15]

Results and fixtures

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

Legend

  Win  Draw  Loss  Fixture

2024

South Africa   v   Malawi

5 December COSAFA W U-17	South Africa	4–2	Malawi	Johannesburg, South Africa
12:30	Kock 23', 72', 88' Malebana 35' (pen.)		Mwanyongo 48' Lali 88'	Stadium: UJ Stadium Soweto

South Africa   v   Namibia

7 December COSAFA W U-17	South Africa	5–0	Namibia	Johannesburg, South Africa
15:30	Sithole 9' Khoza 29' Mohale 32' Levy 64', 86'			Stadium: UJ Stadium Soweto

South Africa   v   Madagascar

9 December COSAFA W U-17	South Africa	0–1	Madagascar	Johannesburg, South Africa
15:30			Rasoamanantena 18'	Stadium: UJ Stadium Soweto

2025

Gabon   v   South Africa

11 January World Cup Q	Gabon	1–12	South Africa	Franceville, Gabon
15:30	Mbassi 39'		Khoza 7' Nzuza 20', 29', 32' Kock 74' Mohale 78' Horak 80', 90', 90+3'	Stadium: Stade de Franceville

South Africa   v   Gabon

18 January World Cup Q	South Africa	9–1	Gabon	Pretoria, South Africa
15:30	Khoza 5', 27', 31', ??' Malebana 18', ??' Nzuza 25', ??', ??' Simamane ??', ??', ??'			Stadium: Lucas Moripe Stadium, Atteridgeville

South Africa   v   Nigeria

8 March World Cup Q	South Africa	1–3	Nigeria	Pretoria, South Africa
15:00  UTC+2	Malebana 47' (pen.)		Moshood 20' Chidi 41' (pen.), 67'	Stadium: Lucas Moripe Stadium

Nigeria   v   South Africa

15 March World Cup Q	Nigeria	2–0	South Africa	Ikenne, Nigeria
16:00  UTC+1	Chidi 37' Animashaun 56'			Stadium: Remo Stars Stadium

Current squad

The following 20 players were selected for the 2024 COSAFA U-17 Women's Championship held in South Africa between 4 December – 13 December 2024: ^[16]

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Club
1	1 GK	Sphumelele Zibula		Dlala Ntombazana
2	1 GK	Dakalo Mafumo		Panorama F.C.
3	1 GK	Rose Ann Gerber		Brave Generations Academy
4	2 DF	Katlego Mohale		JVW Sapphires
5	2 DF	Akhona Smamene		Lindelani Ladies
5	2 DF	Dineo Makoala		Future Stars F.C.
5	2 DF	Andiswa Zuma		Dlala Ntombazana
6	2 DF	Sthabile Kamwande		Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies Academy
7	2 DF	Bonolo Mokomo		JVW Sapphires
8	3 MF	Nomfundo Nzuza		Dlala Ntombazana
9	3 MF	Rethabile Molefe		Springs Home Sweepers
10	3 MF	Katleho Malebane		UP-Tuks Ladies
11	3 MF	Ambani Raphadana		Sinthumule Kutama
12	3 MF	Asanda Ziqubu		Dlala Ntombazana
13	3 MF	Nishaat Levy		Salt River Blackpool
14	4 FW	Leonay Kock		Royal Wizards
15	4 FW	Khwezi Khoza		Durban Ladies
16	4 FW	Nobahle Mdelwa		Lindelani Ladies
18	2 DF	Alwande Mbatha		Dlala Ntombazana
19	4 FW	Okuhle Sithole		Durban Ladies

Top goal scorers

Active players in bold, statistics correct as of November 2024.

Rank	Player	Goals
1	Oyisa Marhasi	11
2	Jessica Wade	10
3	Khwezi Khoza	5
4	Miche Minnies	4
	Karabo Dhlamini	4

Managerial history

All-time Bantwana coaching records

Coach	Nat.	Tenure
Simphiwe Dludlu	South Africa	2017 – 2021
Nthabeleng Modiko	South Africa	2022 – 2024
Ntombifuthi Khumalo	South Africa	2024 – present

Competitive record

FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup record

FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup
Appearances: 2
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
2008	did not qualify
2010	Group stage	16th	3	0	0	3	2	17
2012	did not qualify
2014
2016
2018	Group stage	12th	3	0	1	2	1	10
2022	did not qualify
2024
2025
2026	TBD
Total	Group stage	2/9	6	0	1	5	3	27

African U-17 Cup of Nations for Women record

African U-17 Cup of Nations for Women
Appearances: 6
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
2008	First round	–	2	2 1	0	2	0	3
2010	Play-off round	–	6	3	1	2	25	9
2012	Second round	–	4	1	2	1	7	6
2013	Second round	–	2	0	1	1	4	6
2016	Second round	–	2	2 2	0	2	0	7
2018	Second round	–	4	4	0	0	17	7
2020	The 2020 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2022	Third round	–	2	1	0	1	1	3
2024	Second round	–	2	0	1	1	0	3
2025	Second round	–	4	2	0	2	22	7
2026	To be determined
Total	Second round	6/6	28	15	5	12	76	48

• ^1 South Africa qualified from the preliminary round by withdrawal of Botswana.
• ^2 South Africa qualified from the first round by withdrawal of Zambia.

COSAFA U-17 Women's Championship

COSAFA U-17 Women's Championship record
Year	Round	Pld	W	D*	L	GS	GA	GD
2019	Runners-up	5	4	0	1	39	5	+34
2020	Third Place	4	2	0	2	18	8	+10
2022	Champions	4	2	0	0	23	4	+19
2024	Group Stage	3	2	0	1	9	3	+6
Total		16	11	0	4	89	20

See also

• Women's association football portal
• Association football portal
• Sports portal
• South Africa portal

• South Africa women's national football team
• South Africa women's national under-20 soccer team
• South Africa women's national under-15 soccer team

References

1. "South Africa U-17 women thrash Seychelles 28–0". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
2. "FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Trinidad & Tobago 2010™: South Africa". www.fifa.com. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
3. Sibembe, Jonah Dylan and Yanga (7 June 2019). "Banyana Banyana set to make debut, with the usual suspects gunning for glory once more". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
4. "SA's Women's U17 team begins Fifa World Cup campaign with tricky clash against Mexico". SowetanLIVE. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
5. "Dludlu names 21-member Bantwana squad for 2018 FIFA WC - SAFA.net". 25 October 2018. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
6. Pillay, Alicia (19 January 2025). "SA U17s Win World Cup First Leg Qualifiers with 21–2 Aggregate". gsport4girls. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
7. Pongco, Siya (16 January 2025). "SuperSport Schools Plus | Bantwana favoured against Gabon in Fifa Women's World Cup qualifier second leg". SuperSport Schools Plus. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
8. "Bantwana falls short in the FIFA U17 Youth World Cup Qualifiers first leg against Nigeria | soccer". SABC. 9 March 2025. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
9. "Bantwana to redeem themselves in FIFA U17 World Cup qualifiers against Nigeria | soccer". SABC. 15 March 2025. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
10. "Cosafa U17 Women's Cup: Bantwana must start strongly against Seychelles – Dludlu | Goal.com". www.goal.com. 21 September 2019. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
11. "Bantwana win silver in maiden Cosafa U17 Women's Champs". SuperSport. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
12. "Emphatic 12–0 victory books semis ticket for Bantwana | soccer". SABC. 5 December 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
13. este (14 December 2022). "Local coach and players win Cosafa Cup with SA U17 girls team". The Witness. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
14. Kanjere, Peter (12 December 2022). "COSAFA Championship joy for SA girls, heartbreak for Amajimbos". FARPost. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
15. CentreCircle (10 April 2025). "South Africa gives COSAFA U17 Women's Championship 2025 a miss due to tight school schedule". Centre Circle. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
16. "Bantwana in camp ahead of 2024 COSAFA U17 Youth Championships - SAFA.net". 30 November 2024. Retrieved 3 December 2024.

External links

• Official website