The COSAFA Show

The TotalEnergies CAF Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations 2026 | COSAFA Qualifiers were recently staged in Harare, Zimbabwe to full stadiums and an incredible atmosphere. Stands were packed at the Ngoni Stadium despite the host nation going out in the group stages, and it was a reminder again, if one was needed, just what a football-loving country Zimbabwe is. South Africa took home the trophy for a record-equaling fourth time, drawing them level with Zambia on the all-time list, with a squad that was put together just days before the tournament started. They qualify for the TotalEnergies CAF Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations 2026, along with runners-up Angola and Mozambique, who took the bronze medal. The trio will represent the COSAFA region on the continental stage and we hope will be three of the 10 African nations who will qualify for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Qatar next year. We will hear from all three of their coaches, starting with South Africa’s Vela Khumalo, who had just a few training sessions to get his side ready for competition. Angola coach Mario Catala was disappointed his side could only take home the silver medal despite an excellent run to the final in which they scored 18 goals in four games and did not conceded a single one. But his pre-tournament aim was also to qualify for the continental finals, and that was achieved.Mozambique coach Luis Guerreiro had to settle for the bronze medal but he too can look forward to a place in the continental finals after the Young Mambas beat Comoros 3-0 in the third-place play-off.

We have a varied COSAFA Show for you this week, taking in a top striker, a women’s football coach on the rise and the aftermath of the of the CAF Women’s Champions League 2025 | COSAFA Qualifiers that were won by Gaborone United Ladies FC.Namibia’s hot-shot striker Peter Shalulile recently reached a major milestone when he became the most prolific goal-scorer in the 29-year history of South Africa’s Premier Soccer League.We hear from him on that record, getting Namibia to the 2026 FIFA World Cup and what the future might old.Seychelles women’s coach Chris Yip-Au recently took part in the FIFA Elite Performance: Coaches’ Mentorship Program. She had experienced Australian tactician Vicki Linton as her mentor and tells us about that experience.Gaborone United were crowned champions of the CAF Women’s Champions League 2025 | COSAFA Qualifiers this past weekend when they defeated ZESCO Ndola Girls in a thrilling penalty shoot-out in the final in Johannesburg.Their victory sees them qualify for the continental finals and also makes up for defeat on penalties in the decider last year.Their coach Khalid Niyonzima has masterminded their success and spoke after the final. Zesco Ndola Girls had hoped to become the second Zambian winners of the regional title after Green Buffaloes in 2022 but fell just short. Their coach William Zulu tells us where it all went wrong.

On our special 100th edition of The COSAFA Show, a century of episodes that have taken you across the Southern African region and beyond over the last few years, we chat to former Namibia international Salome Iiyambo, who is the owner and coach of Beauties FC. They are one of two teams that will debut at the expanded CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifiers to be played in Johannesburg from August 22-31. Beauties are an historic club in Namibia but have been drawn into a tough pool at the regional championship that also includes two-time winners Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa, Ntopwa FC of Malawi and Zambia’s Zesco Ndola Girls.Only the winner of the tournament advances to the continental finals and Iiyambo knows the task at hand for her side but says their appearance at the tournament is about a lot more than what happens on the pitch.

In this latest episode of The COSAFA Show, we look ahead to the quarterfinals of the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco this week, and glance back at the Region 5 Games that were played in Windhoek.Two of our COSAFA sides have advanced to the knockout rounds of the WAFCON competition, including defending champions South Africa, who face Senegal on Saturday. But before that, Zambia are in action against nine-time winners Nigeria on Friday in what will truly be a test of their championship credentials.We will hear from both of their coaches ahead of the crunch knockout games.Botswana narrowly missed out on a place in the quarterfinals despite a 2-1 win over Tunisia in their final Group B game but leave with their heads held high.We also check in with the victorious South Africa men’s coach Vela Khumalo after they lifted the Region 5 Games crown, which served as the COSAFA championship in that age-group this year. Although an Under-20 competition, South Africa triumphed with an Under-17 selection as they prepare for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Qatar later this year, making their achievement all the more impressive.

In this latest episode of The COSAFA Show we talk all things match officials and the Video Assistant Referee.We discuss the VAR system that was implemented from the very first match at the recent HOLLYWOODBETS COSAFA Cup in Manguang.COSAFA Referees manage Felix Tangawarima and COSAFA VAR Technician Ramy Gamal tell us how the system was put in place and the extensive plans they have for the region and beyond.We speak to three referees from the COSAFA region who are off to the upcoming TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations that will be played in Morocco from July 5-26. They tell us about their journey.A total of six match officials from the COSAFA region will do duty at the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.We chat to three of them - Letticia Viana from Eswatini, Maria Rivet from Mauritius and Akhona Makalima from South Africa, as well as referees instructor Abdul Ebrahim.

In this latest episode of The COSAFA Show, where we chat to Angola coach Pedro Goncalves as he prepares to defend the HOLLYWOODBETS COSAFA Cup title his side won in 2024 as they ended a 20-year wait for the trophy.It is an incredibly busy six months for Palancas Negras as they compete in Mangaung from June 4-15, and also take part in the TotalEnergies CAF CHAN finals in August, and the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco at the end of the year. Goncalves is currently the longest serving national team coach in African football having been in his post since 2019, and has worked in the country for the past decade.He gives us insight into his team and the current state of Angolan football.

The development of women’s football in the COSAFA region in the last decade has been impressive, with opportunities on and off the pitch in be part of the Beautiful Game.In our latest episode of The COSAFA Show, we have an interview with COSAFA Women’s Football Consultant Violet Jubane. The timing is perfect with the COSAFA Under-17 Girls’ Championship on the horizon, as the next generation of the region’s female football stars will show their potential.

In the latest episode of The COSAFA Show we chat to Leah Sweetness Masango, leader of COSAFA’s vital Technical Study Group at the organisation’s tournaments. COSAFA held a workshop for aspiring Technical Study Group members from across the Southern African region last week, and she fills us in on the details around that.There were coaches, former players, technical directors and other stakeholders all present as a range of subjects were discussed.Masango also tells us about her exciting future, which includes being selected as one of just two coaches from the African continent for a prestigious FIFA programme.She has already been to Brazil and will be travelling to various other countries around the world as she builds her knowledge to bring back to the Southern African region.

In our latest episode of the COSAFA Show we have Part 2 of the extensive views of newly re-elected CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe, who hails from the COSAFA region. Dr Motsepe will enter a second term at the helm of the game on the continent having been re-elected unopposed following successful first term in which great strides were made women’s and youth football, modernizing refereeing on the continent and several other spheres.CAF has improved its commercial outlook which has led to increased prizemoney in its competitions across the board.In Part 2 of this discussion with journalists, Dr Motsepe talks about the progress made in his first term, and how he plans to shape the future of the game on the continent in the coming years.

In our latest episode of the COSAFA Show, which is actually a two-parter, we get the extensive views of newly re-elected CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe, who hails from the COSAFA region. Dr Motsepe will enter a second term at the helm of the game on the continent having been re-elected unopposed following successful first term in which great strides were made women’s and youth football, modernizing refereeing on the continent and several other spheres.CAF has improved its commercial outlook which has led to increased prizemoney in its competitions across the board. In Part 1 of this discussion with journalists, Dr Motsepe talks about the progress made in his first term, improving women’s football and making the African globally competitive. We will have Part 2 next week.

In this edition of The COSAFA Show we delve into all things Lesotho football to understand the successes and challenges of the Beautiful Game in the equally beautiful Mountain Kingdom.We chat to Lesotho Football Association General Secretary Mokhosi Mohapi, who has overseen significant gains for the country on and off the pitch but also admits there is much work still to do. This in-depth interviews covers areas such as the senior national teams, women’s football, junior set-ups, the local league, referees and much, much more in order to get a solid understanding of the current state of Lesotho football, but also what the future holds.

A record seven COSAFA nations have qualified for the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2025 and all learned their fate with the draw that was held in Rabat this week.The 24-team tournament will be staged from 21 December, 2025 to 18 January 2026 and will be a celebration of elite African football in six host cities and nine stadia.Three COSAFA sides - South Africa, Angola and Zimbabwe have been drawn in the same pool at the finals, while Zambia and Comoros have also been paired together, alma with hosts Morocco and Mali. Botswana return for a second ever finals following their first in 2012, while Mozambique are also back at the finals.There is no doubt the COSAFA Cup to be staged in mid-year will have extra spice this season as coaches look at their various options. We speak to coaches from all seven teams to get their reactions to the draw.

In this latest episode of The COSAFA Show we speak to Executive Director Sue Destombes as we reflect on a bumper 2024 for the organisation, and look ahead to what may be in store in 2025. COSAFA held an unprecedented nine tournaments last year, five of them for women, despite a challenging environment and external factors that were outside of the organisation’s control. The rewards of this long-term development of men’s and women’s football at all age-group levels can be seen in a record seven COSAFA sides qualifying for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco later this year, and the continued improvement of out women’s team.Destombes outlines the highlights of 2024, on and off the pitch, and the ambitious plans of COSAFA for 2025.

Our final episode of The COSAFA Show for 2024 marks an incredible year for the region that included a record nine competitions staged across various age-groups and also a record seven nations qualifying for the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations | Morocco 2025. The incredible work and dedication from the entire COSAFA team to boost the growth and development of football in the region is bearing fruit, and the proof is in the results produced on the field of play.In this episode we chat to Comoros coach Stefano Cusin after he led the Indian Ocean Island to the continental finals in Morocco that start in a little under a year. They continue to punch well above their weight.We also hear from Barbra Banda, another great COSAFA success story, after she was named Women’s Player of the Year at the recent CAF Awards. South Africa captain Ronwen Williams collected the CAF Interclub Player of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year at the same ceremony and he also shares his reaction to those two accolades. Finally, we get the thoughts of Zambia coach Ian Bakala after he led his side to victory at the TotalEnergies CAF Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations | COSAFA Qualifier and, along with Angola, qualified for the continental finals in Morocco next year.

In our latest episode of The COSAFA Show we reflect on a record seven Southern African nations that have qualified for the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025. Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe will all be at the finals that are still some way off and start on December 18, 2025.We will hear from two coaches who have achieved what many did not think was possible with their sides, starting with Morena Ramoreboli, who has taken Botswana to just a second ever visit to the continental showpiece event.It is a major achievement for the nation, who will make their first appearance on the big stage since 2012.German coach Michael Nees is new in the job with Zimbabwe, but already has them back at the AFCON after a solid qualification campaign from the Warriors.We will also hear from him as he details his roadmap to success and the changes he has made with the side. You can listen to more of our podcasts on our YouTube channel, Spotify and iTunes, and you get also get the latest news via our website at www.cosafa.com, and on X, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

In our latest episode of The COSAFA Show as we discuss all things women’s football in the COSAFA region and look ahead to the HOLLYWOODBETS COSAFA Women’s Championship final that will be played in Gqeberha on Saturday.Zambia will take on seven-time winners South Africa in the decider that promises to be a close-fought affair between two sides who have shown their tactical acumen in the tournament so far.But first we hear from Dr Brenda Kunda, who is a COSAFA Executive Committee member and an expert on women’s football in the Southern African region and the continent as a whole.She gives her insight into what is happening in the women’s game, which is growing at pace, not least thanks to four tournaments that will be hosted by COSAFA this year – the COSAFA Women’s Championship, CAF Women’s Champions League qualifier, and Women’s U20 and U17 tournaments. We also hear from Zambia coach Florence Mwila following her side’s 2-0 victory over defending champions Malawi in the COSAFA Women’s Championship as she looks ahead to the final. And we also get the views of South Africa coach Maude Khumalo to the penalty shootout victory over Mozambique in the semi-finals.

In our latest episode of The COSAFA Show we discuss the recent HOLLYWOODBETS COSAFA Women’s Championship draw with South Africa midfielder Refiloe Jane. We also hear from Zambia assistant coach Florence Mwila, who will be leading the Copper Queens side in Gqeberha this year.Mark Fish was a superb player in his day and was part of South Africa’s Golden Generation that won the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations. He also had a long career in Europe and is now set on making his name off the pitch with a new career path, which he tells us about in this in-depth interview.Finally, we speak to Senanile Dlamini, who has been conducting research for CAF into the fitness and nutrition of players at the recent TotalEnergies CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations | COSAFA Qualifier in Mozambique. She will tell us more about the programme she has been working on.

In this episode of The COSAFA Show we look ahead to the TotalEnergies CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations | COSAFA Qualifier that will be staged in Maputo, Mozambique from Thursday until the final on October 5.There are 11 teams that will be hoping to at the very least reach the decider and earn a place at the continental finals that are to be held next year, where COSAFA will be represented by two teams.Zambia are the record 12-time winners and looking to make it lucky number 13 is their coach Boyd Mulwanda, who himself lifted this trophy as a player all the way back in 1997, explains to us. What a special moment it would be for him if he could repeat that feat as a coach and we get his thoughts ahead of kick-off. Namibia coach James Britz took the country to the silver medal in 2020 and is back again for a third shot at the title with a new-look team. He details his side’s preparations and what we may expect from the Young Brave Warriors in Maputo. We also get the thoughts of the four-time CAF Women’s Coach of the Year Dr Desiree Ellis on the level of coaching on the continent and what can be done to help aspiring young female tacticians to realise their dreams.

In this latest episode of The COSAFA Show we have an exclusive interview with new Zimbabwe coach Michael Nees as he prepares the side for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers that get underway this week.Zimbabwe will take on Kenya and Cameroon in a tough start to their bid to reach the continental finals in Morocco next year, while Nees must also plan for the resumption of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in March next year.In this extensive chat he lays down his plans for the side and gives some insight into his coaching history, and how he has almost come full circle in his career that has seen him work extensively in the COSAFA region. We also hear from the winning coach at the CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifier Thinasonke Mbuli from the University of the Western Cape on their triumph and what it means to the team.

In our latest episode of The COSAFA Show we discuss the ongoing CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifiers taking place this week and next in the Malawian city of Blantyre.Only the winners will join holders Mamelodi Sundowns in the continental finals later this year, with five teams making their debut in the regional qualifiers.We hear first from COSAFA Executive Director Sue Destombes about the tournament and being back in Malawi for another COSAFA event.University of the Western Cape are representing South Africa having been runners-up to Sundowns in the last three editions of the domestic Women’s Super League. We hear from their coach Thinasonke Mbuli.Ascent Academy will be the home team in Malawi, even if they are from the city of Lilongwe. They have a very young group of players but are packed with talent, as their coach Thom Mkolongo explains to us.Herentals Queens will make their debut at the regional qualifiers as the first team from Zimbabwe to compete since the inaugural tournament in 2021. Midfielder Sikulekile Nyoni tells us a little more about the team.