Four-time Cosafa Women’s Champions and hosts Banyana Banyana have been drawn in a tough Group A with Angola, Malawi and Mozambique for the 2021 edition of the tournament in Nelson Mandela Bay from September 15-26.
Botswana, 2020’s runners-up, are up against 2011 winners Zimbabwe and guest nations Tanzania and South Sudan in Group B.
Meanwhile, Group C consists of 2019 finalists Zambia, Namibia, Eswatini and another guest nation, Uganda.
Uganda came as a late entry into the 2021 competition after the withdrawal of Comoros Islands.
Only the top team in each group is guaranteed a place in the semifinals.
This year’s competition will take on additional significance as it comes just a month before the start of the qualifiers for the 2022 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations.
The tournament will provide competing sides with the chance to fine-tune their plans for their bid to reach the continental showpiece.
Tanzania return for a second year running, having played in 2020, while South Sudan are eager to improve their national team and are now coached by former SA performance analyst Shilene Booysen, who was involved in a number of Cosafa Cup wins with Banyana Banyana.
Cosafa general secretary Sue Destombes said: “This will be our second Cosafa Women’s Championship played during the Covid-19 pandemic after the successful staging of the event last November.
“We once again thank the Eastern Cape province and the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality for their tremendous support.
“Without these valued partners we would not be able to stage these events, while we are also grateful once again to our hosts, the South African Football Association, who continue to lend their invaluable expertise.
“It is the fourth year in a row that the women’s senior tournament will take place in Nelson Mandela Bay, where the support in the stands has traditionally been superb, though that will once again be an element that is missing this year with all matches played behind closed doors.”
SA have won the last four championships, and seven out of eight in all, with only Zimbabwe breaking their run on home soil in 2011.
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