Banyana’s Ellis says no Wafcon will be ‘a couple of steps backwards’

Banayana Banyana head coach Desiree Ellis says it will be to the detriment of women’s football if the Confederation of African Football (Caf) do not hold the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) in 2024.

Caf have yet to set a date for the competition, which is scheduled to take place this year, with Banyana the defending champions having won the title for the first time in 2022.

“It should have happened a while ago,” said Ellis, after picking up the women’s Coach of the Year Award at the Cosafa Awards on Thurdsday.

“We keep hoping and praying it won’t be cancelled like it was in 2020. I think it will take us a couple of steps backwards after the progress of women’s football and our development in the 2022 Wafcon.

“The next one (in 2026) will be for World Cup qualifying and it is important we do get to play (in 2024) in terms of bring new players into this competition, where you have the banana skin of a quarterfinal.

“If players haven’t experienced this it is difficult to tell them what it is like. We hope Caf come through and set a date, I think it is imperative … we do have one this year.”

The 2020 Wafcon was cancelled because of the Covid-19 pandemic, but there is no such excuse for Caf this time around.

“The Women’s Afcon was scheduled for June – but we have (the 2024 Paris) Olympics,” Caf spokesperson Luxolo September told the Guardian at the start of April.

“Secondly, the January 2024 window for women’s competitions wasn’t possible for Caf, for obvious reasons. Caf is currently engaging all involved stakeholders to find a winnable solution for this.”

No luck for Danny Jordaan

When South African Football Association president Danny Jordaan flew to Morocco for a Caf Executive meeting on April 19, Safa seemed to be making a point in saying in a press release that they were “looking forward to the announcement of the dates of the 2024 Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON).”

No announced was forthcoming, however, and Ellis has also admitted that it has been difficult to plan properly without knowledge of if and when the Afcon will take place.

Banyana will play friendlies against Senegal in the West African country on May 31 and June 4, for example, with no idea if they will play Senegal at the Wafcon.

“It does hamper it a bit (preparation),” added the Banyana head coach.

“We just have to continue to prepare and when it does happen (it happens), but … if we knew who we are playing (at the Wafcon) them we could also select opponents you want to play (based on that). We hope we get an answer soon.”