Hildah Magaia, Sinoxolo Cesane join Mexican side Mazatlan Feminil

The pair now increase the South African contingent in Mexico to four, after Thembi Kgatlana earlier joined Jermaine Seoposenwe in the vastly expanding Mexican women's professional league.

Magaia, who netted twice during Banyana's historic FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand last year, has joined from South Korean outfit Sejong Sportstoto, where she spent the past season.

Meanwhile, Cesane, twin sister of Noxolo – who also spent a brief stint in Mexico with Tigres UANL last year, has teamed up Magaia at Mazaltan from the USA, where she spent the last thee years playing football and studying at East Tennessee State University.

This will come as a timely boost for Banyana coach Desiree Ellis, who now has four national team players plying their trade in the same league, where several other international stars have also since moved to – including Spain's World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso.

The 18-team league, which is split into two championships with the exact same format – known as Torneo Apertura, which is Spanish for "opening tournament", and Torneo Clausura, or "closing tournament" in English.

Mazatlan finished bottom of Torneo Apertura in the first half of the regular season, which began on 14 July 2023 and concluded with the championship play-offs on 27 November 2023, and was won by Kgatlana's Tigres UANL.

Torneo Clausura will now begin on 5 January and conclude in May 2023.