Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana will be based at the Intercontinental Hotel in Wellington, New Zealand for their group stage matches. Desiree Ellis’ charges will also use Porirua Park as their training site.
This comes after FIFA confirmed the Team Base Camps (TBC) for all the 29 qualified teams.
A Team Base camp is like “a home away from home” and includes a training site and an accommodation.
The confirmation follows shortly after the draw was conducted in Auckland/Tamaki Makaurau on 22 October 2022 and all the 29 qualified teams had a site inspection on the short-listed sites in the country where they were drawn to play their group matches. The teams then submitted their preferred options to FIFA.
Banyana Banyana were represented by head coach Ellis, Team Manager Lauren Duncan and Media Officer Sinethemba Mbatha.
For the first time in the history of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, each of the competing countries will use their dedicated TBC during next year’s tournament.
Australia & New Zealand 2023 will be the first FIFA Women’s World Cup to be co-hosted, the first to be held in the Southern Hemisphere and the first with 32 teams – up from 24 in 2019.
Fourteen (14) of the TBCs are in Australia across five host cities for those playing their group stage matches in that country, while a further 15 will be in Aotearoa in New Zealand across four host cities.
Zambia, who are in Group C with Spain, Costa Rica and Japan will train at Korikori Park in Hamilton, New Zealand. Their base hotel is Novotel Tainui.
Nigeria’s final World Cup preparations will be held at Lions FC Stadium in Meaanjin, Brisbane, Australia, and they will use Sofitel Brisbane Hotel for their accommodation. The Super Falcons are in Group B with co-hosts Australia, debutants Republic of Ireland and Canada.
Newcomers to the World Cup, Morocco will train at Galvin Park Reserve in Melbourne, Australia.
The North Africans, who will stay at the Lancemore Mansion Hotel at Werribee Park in Melbourne, Australia, have been drawn in Group H along with Germany, Colombia and the Korea Republic.
“Our mission for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 is to go ‘Beyond Greatness’, and to do that we must provide elite environments for the 32 teams to train, rest and recover. With great support from our Host Countries, Governments, and the Host Cities, FIFA will provide each team with the best training and preparation environment possible, enabling them to focus on their performances at the tournament while at the same time offering them the chance to connect with people and communities where they are based. FIFA is committed to enhancing the standards and conditions for teams at each FIFA Women’s World Cup, and the introduction of dedicated Team Base Camps is a clear demonstration of that commitment and our drive to grow and develop women’s football,” said FIFA Chief Women’s Football Officer Sarai Bareman in a statement.
TBCs of the African teams at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup
| COUNTRY | TRAINING SITE | ACCOMMODATION | CITY | BASE COUNTRY – GROUP STAGES |
| South Africa | Porirua Park | InterContinental Hotel | Te Whangunui-a-Tara, Wellington | New Zealand |
| Zambia | Korikori Park | Novotel Tainui Hotel | Kirikiriroa, Hamilton | New Zealand |
| Nigeria | Lions FC Stadium | Sofitel Brisbane Central Hotel | Meaanjin, Brisbane | Australia |
| Morocco | Galvin Park Reserve | Lancemore Mansion Hotel, Werribee Park | Naarm, Melbourne | Australia |
Full details of the confirmed Team Base Camp Training Sites and Accommodation in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand can be found here ().
The three teams that qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 via the Play-Off Tournament in February 2023 will select their TBC after qualification.
Those nations are Cameroon, Chile, Chinese Taipei, Haiti, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Portugal, Senegal, and Thailand.
FULL BANYANA BANYANA WORLD CUP MATCH GROUP STAGES FIXTURES:
South Africa vs Sweden
Sunday, 23 July 2023
Wellington Regional Stadium
WELLINGTON/TE WANGANUI-A-TARA
New Zealand
17h00 local time (04h00 SA Time)
Argentina vs South Africa
Friday, 28 July 2023
Dunedin Stadium
DUNEDIN/OTEPOTI
New Zealand
12h00 local time (23h00 SA Time)
South Africa vs Italy
Wednesday, 2 August 2023
Wellington Regional Stadium
WELLINGTON/TE WANGANUI-A-TARA
New Zealand
19h00 local time (06h00 SA Time)
The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 full match schedule is available for download
Tickets for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™ are currently on sale at www.fifa.com/tickets.
By Matlhomola Morake
