By Staff Reporter
Banyana Banyana, the reigning Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) champions, have resumed training in Morocco after a two-day boycott sparked by a dispute with the South African Football Association (SAFA) over unpaid fees.
The standoff began on Thursday, 26 June, when players halted training sessions, demanding payment for outstanding salaries from the April and June preparatory camps.
The protest continued into Friday, raising concerns about the team’s readiness for their WAFCON 2025 title defense.
SAFA initially claimed the dispute was related to unpaid appearance fees for friendly matches against Malawi, Botswana, and Zambia. However, the South African Football Players Union (SAFPU) argued that the conflict was rooted in unpaid tournament bonuses.
After urgent negotiations, SAFA and the players reached an agreement on payment timelines. The resolution comes amid reports that SAFA is facing a R5 million financial shortfall — a situation that has reportedly strained operations across multiple national teams.
The incident echoes similar tensions from 2023, when Banyana Banyana boycotted a World Cup send-off match over payment disagreements.
With the immediate crisis resolved, the team is now back in full training, focused on defending their continental crown at WAFCON 2025.
