Banyana Banyana's preparations for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup have been given direction following confirmation of where the senior women's national team will set base.
The Desire Ellis-coached team is heading to the tournament being held in Australia and New Zealand as African champions for the first time after their success in July when they overcame host nation Morocco in the final.
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With Bafana Bafana now a mere shadow in the national game having failed to qualify for both the last AFCON finals and the ongoing World Cup in Qatar it is only Banyana that is giving South Africans any sense of pride.
FIFA has now confirmed that Ellis and her team will set base in Wellington training at Porirua Park while resident at the InterContinental Hotel Wellington.
Banyana is in Group G and plays Sweden (July 23) at the Wellington Regional Stadium, and Argentina (July 38) at the Dunedin Stadium before closing off the group against Italy (August 2) at the Wellington Stadium.
Next year's tournament will run from July 20 – August 20 and will be the first to be hosted by countries from different Confederations while being the first FIFA Women's World Cup featuring 32 countries.
All 29 countries whose tickets are secured have also already had their team base camps confirmed including Morocco, Zambia, and Nigeria.
Three teams are to be confirmed after engaging in Play-Offs matches.
"For the first time in FIFA Women's World Cup history, competing countries will use dedicated Team Base Camps in next year's tournament.
"A team base camp (TBC) is the 'home away from home' for the teams and includes a training site and accommodation," reads a statement from FIFA.
Teams are expected to set base two weeks before the tournament starts.
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