Speaking after South Africa’s 2‑0 win over Angola in the COSAFA Women’s Championship on Saturday, Ellis emphasized that the tournament is being used to integrate young players with seasoned professionals to accelerate their development.
“Morocco has got a two-tier professional league. They've obviously got the resources and a bottomless pit to be able to assist them with that,” Ellis told ESPN. “We’ve got to look at other innovative ways to be able to do this—and that is bringing these young players regularly into camp so that they can understand what it’s about.”
Building the Next Generation
Ellis revealed that South Africa is blending youth and experience, giving opportunities to emerging talents while relying on senior players to mentor them. Last year, the team fielded a squad largely composed of U17 and U20 players against Lesotho, and many of those youngsters are now back in the setup.
“We have 21-year-olds, a 16-year-old substitute (Thorisho Mphelo), a 17-year-old on the bench (Zoe October), and our striker Bonolo Mokoma turning 18 this year. So, we’re looking to develop and looking for the future,” she said.
Reflecting on previous strategies, Ellis pointed out that integrating young players into major tournaments has been a hallmark of her approach: “We went to the World Cup in 2019 with very young Sibulele [Holweni] and Karabo [Dhlamini] at 17—both straight from the U17 World Cup. We did likewise with Nthabiseng Majiya at WAFCON 2022. What better way than to have senior players like Refiloe Jane and Bambanani Mbane here to help them grow.”
Ellis also highlighted the positive mindset she is cultivating among young players: “I spoke to one of the young players and her answer to me was: ‘I was excited; I was a bit worried—but when I come back next time, I’m not going back.’ That is the attitude you want from these youngsters.”
WAFCON 2026 Outlook
Morocco will host WAFCON for the third consecutive time, after South Africa claimed the title in 2022 and Nigeria dethroned them on Moroccan soil last year. The hosts are drawn in Group A alongside Algeria, Senegal, and Kenya, while South Africa’s Banyana Banyana will compete in Group B with Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, and Tanzania.
The tournament format sees the top two teams from each of the four groups advance to the quarter-finals, setting the stage for a competitive showdown as nations continue to professionalize women’s football on the continent.
Ellis’ strategy underscores South Africa’s focus on long-term development and adaptability as they prepare to defend their WAFCON crown in an increasingly competitive landscape.