Fran Hilton-Smith backs Banyana’s WAFCON preliminary squad

This comes after the South African Football Association announced the official 31-player preliminary squad for the upcoming tournament.

Speaking to SABC Sport, Hilton-Smith says the squad has the potential to return South Africa to its glory days after winning their maiden WAFCON title in 2022.

"I think it's a very good squad selected by coach 'Des', there are a lot of senior players in the team who have WAFCON and World Cup experience, but then there's also a lot of new blood coming into the team and that's what we need to keep the team growing and developing."

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WAFCON 2026 will take place in Morocco from 25 July to 16 August, with South Africa drawn in Group B alongside Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Tanzania.

Hilton-Smith believes it is a challenging group and has advised Banyana to ensure they win their opening match against Tanzania to set the tone for the rest of the tournament. 

The veteran football administrator also welcomed the inclusion of more youngsters in the national team setup, adding that they should embrace the opportunity and express themselves freely on the continental stage. 

"They have been selected because they bring something individually special to the team. It's now up to them to not be afraid when they get to WAFCON."