Deputy Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Peace Mabe shared the news, saying South Africa jumped at the chance because they’ve got the stadiums, infrastructure, and experience ready to go. She pointed to how smoothly they handled big events like the recent G20 summit in Johannesburg and even brought up their history of hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup as proof they’re more than capable.

“When Morocco said they weren’t able to host anymore, we said yes, we’re available and ready,” Mabe explained in an interview with SABC Sport. She added that preparations would start right away, and they’re not too worried about the tight timeline since everything’s already in place for hospitality, security, and venues.

The tournament is set to run from March 17 to April 3, 2026, and it’s a big deal not just for women’s football in Africa, but also as a qualifier for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil. Morocco had been lined up to host for the third time in a row (after 2022 and 2024), but the reason for their withdrawal hasn’t been officially explained yet. Some reports tie it to recent tensions or controversies from the men’s AFCON final, though nothing’s confirmed.

There’s a bit of back-and-forth on the official status. South Africa’s sports ministry later clarified that no final decision from CAF has been made to switch hosts, and Morocco is still the designated one for now. But Mabe’s announcement has a lot of buzz going, and South Africa has offered to step up if needed.

It could shake up local schedules too, with the Betway Premiership in full swing, details on how matches might shift are still unclear.

This is exciting news for Banyana Banyana and fans, as playing at home could give the team a real boost.

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Deputy Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Peace Mabe has congratulated Bafana Bafana following their victory over Zimbabwe, which secured South Africa’s progression to the group stages of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025. Bafana Bafana faced a tough encounter against Zimbabwe, who came close to denying South Africa qualification for the continental tournament.

The result in Group B confirmed Bafana Bafana’s qualification for the tournament’s group stages for a record eighth time.

The performance reflected disciplined execution, tactical organisation and the ability to manage high pressure continental competition. Official CAF match statistics indicated that South Africa controlled key phases of play, demonstrated defensive stability and capitalised on critical opportunities, limiting Zimbabwe’s effectiveness in the final third. Mabe said the achievement aligns directly with the constitutional and legislative mandate entrusted to the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture. She cited Section 24 and Section 27 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa and the National Sport and Recreation Act, noting that the State carries a responsibility to promote sport as a vehicle for nation building, social cohesion and international competitiveness.

Mabe emphasised that the result must be understood within the framework of national sport policy rather than as an isolated sporting moment. She said the White Paper on Sport and Recreation and the National Sport and Recreation Plan place clear obligations on government to support high performance excellence while strengthening development pathways from grassroots to elite level.

Mabe further noted that football remains one of the most accessible and unifying sports in the country and that international competition advances national pride and South Africa’s standing on the continent. She called on the team to remain focused, disciplined and humble as the competition progresses, adding that qualification is an important milestone but not the destination.

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