Banyana Banyana have been drawn in a challenging Group G for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which will take place in Australia and New Zealand.
To advance to the knockout stages, coach Desiree Ellis and her team will have to overcome strong opponents, including women’s football giants Sweden, who are ranked second in the world by FIFA behind defending champions, the United States.
The South African side will also face Italy, ranked 14th, and Argentina, ranked 29th, in what promises to be one of the toughest groups of the tournament.
Based on rankings and reputation, Sweden are expected to top the group, leaving Italy, Argentina, and South Africa, ranked 54th, to battle for second place — which guarantees progression to the next round.
Banyana Banyana will need significant improvement if they hope to make an impact at the tournament. Recently, they suffered a 9-0 aggregate defeat to Brazil in a two-match friendly series. In another preparatory match, they lost 4-1 to Australia in London, raising questions about their readiness for the global stage.
The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand, bringing together 32 of the world’s top women’s football teams in one of the most anticipated tournaments in the sport’s history.
