Red Roses, rivals turn up the heat
Kabelo Boranabi | Friday August 14, 2026 10:32
The tournament runs from August 20 to 29 at the GU Stadium, with Botswana hosting the regional qualifiers for the first time.
GU will be looking to defend the title they won last year after beating Zambia’s ZESCO Ndola Girls on penalties in the final.
The Red Roses have moved to strengthen their squad, signing three players from Double Action Ladies on loan. Bofelo Rantsho, Mbapeua Kefilwe Hangara, and Peggy Manewe have all joined the champions ahead of the tournament.
Rantsho, who is central defensive midfielder, adds options in the midfield, whilst 19-year-old Manewe provides an alternative in attack. On the other hand Hangara, born in 2006, adds pace on the attack.
The additions give GU greater depth across midfield and attack as they attempt to repeat their regional success.
Rantsho also brings international experience, having featured for Botswana at youth level. COSAFA records show she scored six goals at the Girls’ Under-17 Championship.
There is already plenty of quality in the GU squad. Gaonyadiwe Ontlametse is the competition’s all-time leading scorer with 11 goals and scored seven during last year’s title-winning campaign.
Red Roses' Group A rivals, Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) Ladies, are also making changes. The Lesotho champions have appointed Zimbabwean coach Nation Dube, a CAF A Licence holder. Dube has experience in Zimbabwean football, including working in the country’s national-team structures and the Premier Soccer League.
LDF have also recruited from domestic rivals, bringing in Reitumetse Namane and Mats’ukulu Motloheloa from Kick4Life, as well as Katleho Mafereka, Itumeleng Molotsi, and Limpho Nthako from Berea Ladies.
The team's domestic form suggests they will be a serious threat. They went unbeaten in the Lesotho Women’s Super League, winning 16 of 18 matches and scoring 83 goals.
ZESCO Ndola Girls, on the other end, will arrive with unfinished business after last year’s narrow defeat to GU.
The Zambians stunned Mamelodi Sundowns 2-1 in the semi-finals before losing the final on penalties. They have since retained the Zambian Women’s Super League title, finishing the campaign on 85 points.
The team's head coach, William Zulu, has already turned attention towards preparations for the COSAFA qualifiers.
ZESCO also have Eneless Phiri, last year’s player of the tournament, in their ranks. Her experience will be important against a GU side they know well. Zimbabwean champions, Herentals Queens, complete a difficult group.
Herentals Queens reached the semi-finals of the regional competition previously, losing 1-0 to GU. They subsequently strengthened their reputation by winning the Zimbabwean domestic title.
Their previous encounter with GU means they know the Botswana champions and will not be intimidated by the defending champions’ status.
For GU, home advantage could prove valuable, but it also comes with pressure. They have the trophy, the leading scorer in the competition’s history and three new additions. Their opponents, however, have also been busy in their own ranks.