Head coach of the South African U20 Women’s National Team, Maud Khumalo, has just concluded a training camp with a squad of 44 players as they kickstart preparations for the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
The competition will be hosted by Colombia from 5 to 22 September 2024.
The U20 Women’s side is the only South African national team yet to qualify for a FIFA Women’s World Cup.
This will be the 11th edition of the competition and will be the first time Colombia hosts a FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Spain are the defending champions.
The South Africans began their training camp on Thursday, 24 August in Johannesburg and concluded it on Tuesday, 29 August.
Khumalo ran the rule over the players that were at her disposal before making the final decision about which ones to select for their opening qualifier.
South Africa will face Burundi away in the first leg qualifier on 6 October with the second leg scheduled for 13 October.
The winners will join the third round of qualifiers scheduled between 12 – 19 November 2023.
Four countries that remain will face each face each other in a round-robin format to determine two representatives for Africa at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
“This training camp will be conducted with an eye on the World Cup qualifiers. It will assist us with looking at new players that have been there within the system before, and also new personnel. This is to help us find the best players that can represent the country very well,” Khumalo told SAFA.net
Only 16 nations will qualify for the final tournament – including Colombia who got a free pass as hosts.
Seven other teams have already booked their tickets to Colombia:
| Country | Appearances | Results |
| Colombia (hosts) | 3rd | 4th – 2022 |
| Canada | 9th | 2nd – 2002 |
| Mexico | 10th | Quarters – 2010, 2012, 2016, 2022 |
| USA | 11th | Winners – 2002, 2008, 2012 |
| New Zealand | 9th | Quarters – 2014 |
| France | 9th | 2nd – 2016 |
| Germany | 11th | Champs – 2004, 2010, 2014 |
| Netherlands | 3rd | 4th – 2022 |
| Spain | 5th | Champions – 2022 |
SA U20 WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM TRAINING SQUAD:
| NAME & SURNAME | POS | CLUB | PROVINCE |
| 1. CASEY GORDON | GK | JVW FC | GAUTENG |
| 2. KGOMOTSO MSIMANG | GK | TS GALAXY FC | GAUTENG |
| 3. MBALI NDLOVU | GK | UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA | GAUTENG |
| 4. TSAKANE MALULEKA | GK | PULLTOGETHER LADIES FC | GAUTENG |
| 5. CIMONE SAULS | DF | JVW FC | GAUTENG |
| 6. NALEDI NKOSI | DF | SUPER STRIKERS LADIES FC | MPUMALANGA |
| 7. NTANDO PHAHLA | DF | SUNFLOWER WFC | KWAZULU NATAL |
| 8. KANANELO TAIWE | DF | RICHMOND UNITED | NORTHERN CAPE |
| 9. MARISKA ADAMS | DF | RICHMOND UNITED | NORTHERN CAPE |
| 10. PONATSHEGO MOHLABI | DF | RICHMOND UNITED | NORTHERN CAPE |
| 11. NTHABISENG MAJIYA | MF | RICHMOND UNITED | NORTHERN CAPE |
| 12. JULIA GONCALVES | MF | JVW FC | GAUTENG |
| 13. KHOLIWE TABOHANE | MF | SPRINGS HOME SWEEPERS | GAUTENG |
| 14. PORTIA MASILELA | MF | SPRINGS HOME SWEEPERS | GAUTENG |
| 15. NOMFUNDO MOTAUNG | MF | SPRINGS HOME SWEEPERS | GAUTENG |
| 16. NOMPILO DLAMINI | FW | SPRINGS HOME SWEEPERS | GAUTENG |
| 17. AMUKELANI MASONGANYI | FW | SPRINGS HOME SWEEPERS | GAUTENG |
| 18. ANELE MZOBE | FW | SPRINGS HOME SWEEPERS | GAUTENG |
| 19. MMABATHO MOGALE | FW | UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA | GAUTENG |
| 20. GUGU DLAMINI | FW | UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA | GAUTENG |
| 21. AYANDA MKHIZE | FW | DURBAN LADIES WFC | KWAZULU NATAL |
| 22. LONDEKA MKHWANAZI | FW | DLALA NTOMBAZANA FC | KWAZULU NATAL |
| 23. ADRIELLE MIBE | FW | UJ FC | GAUTENG |
| 24. ASANDA MCHUNU | DLALA NTOMBAZANA FC | KWAZULU NATAL | |
| 25. NOBAHLE MDELWA | DLALA NTOMBAZANA FC | KWAZULU NATAL | |
| 26. SNOTHISIWE JELE | DURBAN LADIES WFC | KWAZULU NATAL | |
| 27. REA SEFOKA | FIRST TOUCH FC | LIMPOPO | |
| 28. NOMPHELO YAKUPHI | COPPERBELT LADIES FC | LIMPOPO | |
| 29. THABISO SENYATSI | FIRST TOUCH FC | LIMPOPO | |
| 30. SNAZO NTSHOTA | CITY LADS | EASTERN CAPE | |
| 31. SBONGE MADONSELA | DLALA NTOMBAZANA FC | KWAZULU NATAL | |
| 32. OLWETHU SOSIBO | DLALA NTOMBAZANA FC | KWAZULU NATAL |
| 33. SIKELELWA MHLANGA | CITY LADS | EASTERN CAPE | |
| 34. LINDELWA MABUZA | MF | MAMELODI SUNDOWNS LADIES FC | GAUTENG |
| 35. LUMKA QHEKEKA | FW | MAMELODI SUNDOWNS LADIES FC | GAUTENG |
| 36. SETHABILE KAMWANDA | DF | MAMELODI SUNDOWNS LADIES FC | GAUTENG |
| 37. MUNASHE MUGWARA | FW | MAMELODI SUNDOWNS LADIES FC | GAUTENG |
| 38. KATLEHO MALEBANA | MF | MAMELODI SUNDOWNS LADIES FC | GAUTENG |
| 39. GUGU MABITSELA | FW | MAMELODI SUNDOWNS LADIES FC | GAUTENG |
| 40. KUTLWANO MAPHANE | DF | MAMELODI SUNDOWNS LADIES FC | GAUTENG |
| 41. PERTULE PETERSEN | DF | TS GALAXY FC | GAUTENG |
| 42. PHINDILE RAKGALAKANE | FW | TS GALAXY FC | GAUTENG |
| 43. GOSITANG MOTSHEGWE | FW | UJ FC | GAUTENG |
| 44. ZOE DE KOCK | GK | HOTSPURS LADIES FC | WESTERN CAPE |
By Matlhomola Morake
