Bongiwe Thusi welcomes healthy competition in Banyana as COSAFA continues
21st February 2026
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Banyana Banyana midfielder Bongiwe Thusi says the national team camp, running alongside their COSAFA Cup campaign, has been marked by a positive and healthy competitive spirit among players.
The COSAFA Cup got underway last week, with Banyana already having played and won their opening match. At the same time, a 38-member preliminary squad is being assessed as preparations continue for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations -set to take place in Morocco from 17 March to 3 April.
Speaking to SABC Sport, Thusi expressed her excitement about being part of the camp and embraced the competitive environment as players push for WAFCON selection.
“I am very happy to be part of this camp; it’s a great challenge for me. With 38 players here, you can clearly see the level of competitiveness because everyone wants to be selected for WAFCON. It’s healthy competition among teammates,” said Thusi.
The 34-year-old also reflected on lessons learned from their opening COSAFA Cup fixture against Malawi, highlighting areas the team needs to improve as the tournament progresses and as they build towards WAFCON.
“After playing and winning our first match at COSAFA, we’ve identified a few areas to improve. We need better ball rotation and must release the ball quicker. We also have to create more chances and make sure we convert them,” she added.
Thusi emphasised that unity and strong on-field combinations will be crucial in striking the right balance between youth and experience within the squad.
“We need to play as a unit and find combinations that work. That will help us achieve the right balance between the younger players and the more experienced ones,” she expressed.
