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SAFA to invest millions in Women’s Premier League

Banyana Banyana
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South African Football Association (SAFA) president, Danny Jordaan has promised that the local Women’s Premier League will be launched in August this year.

Jordaan made the promise during the send-off ceremony in honour of the South African Women’s soccer team, Banyana Banyana as they jet off to France for their first Fifa Women’s World Cup.

Speaking at the send-off in Sandton on Thursday, Jordaan says, “When you come back (from the World Cup) we are launching the premier league for women’s football.”

At a media presser on the sidelines, Jordaan promised that plans are in place to start the league at the beginning of August.

“Teams have also agreed to sign players from outside the country, we already have interest from Zambia and Zimbabwe. From the legacy trust we have put aside R30 million as an investment to make sure that the league will be able to kick-off, probably on the 9th of August.”

SAFA is making strides in “leveling the playing field” between the men’s and women’s game. He says they have upped the bonuses for Banyana Banyana and they will be paid the same as their male counterparts if they progress to the next round at the Fifa Women’s World Cup in France.

“We made a proposal to them, whereby if they can get to the second round, they will be in the top sixteen, then each of the players will get R320 000.”

He says for them to qualify for the second round they have to be one of top two teams in their group or be one of four top teams placed third in the group stage.

Photos from the Banyana Banyana send-off, see slideshow below:

Meanwhile Banyana captain Janine van Wyk says they are overwhelmed by the support shown for the team. “This is the best send-off that Banyana Banyana has ever got.”

Banyana have been doing well in the recent past, having reached the Africa Women’s Cup of nations final where they narrowly lost a grueling encounter 4-3 on penalties, against Nigeria in Ghana. Their success has also contributed to their star striker, Thembi Kgatlana being named top player and goal scorer of the tournament and African Women’s Footballer of the year in 2018.

Coach Desiree Ellis has promised to continue their winning ways, vowing that they will give it their all at the world cup. “We will go out there and make the country proud.”

Banyana face Spain, China and Germany in group B of the Fifa Women’s World Cup, kicking-off their campaign against Spain on Saturday 8 June.

Watch SAFA boss Danny Jordaan’s interview below:


 

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