The goal in sight is WAFCON 2025 where The Mares are intentional about going beyond the group stages in order to firmly establish Botswana as a consistent and competitive presence in women’s continental football
GAZETTE REPORTER
Botswana’s national women’s football team, the Mares, are using their participation in the Three Nations Tournament in South Africa as a critical stepping stone in preparation for the 2025 TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) that is set for July in Morocco.
The Mares take on the host nation on the first day today and will play Zambia on the last day of the tournament of friendlies, 31 May.
High-profile friendlies
Speaking in a telephone interview, the president of Botswana Football Association (BFA), Tariq Babitseng, emphasised the importance of engaging in high-profile friendlies as the team fine-tunes its competitive strategy.
“These matches offer our players a chance to test themselves against quality opposition in a competitive, yet flexible environment,” he said.
“It is not just about match fitness. It is also about sharpening tactical awareness, improving team chemistry, and exposing our players to pressure situations that mirror what we’ll face at the continental level.”
Hungry for more
Botswana’s last WAFCON appearance was historic, signalling the potential of a team hungry for more. This time, Babitseng says the goals are bolder and more strategic.
“Our goal for WAFCON 2025 is clear: to go beyond the group stages and establish Botswana as a consistent and competitive presence in women’s continental football,” he said.
Babitseng was equally passionate about what the tournament means beyond the scorelines. The Mares’ visibility, he said, is a lever for wider social and economic impact on women’s football in Botswana.
Talent pipelines
“Every tournament the Mares participate in is not just a sporting engagement but is also a vehicle for advocacy, visibility and inspiration,” said Babitseng.
He highlighted ongoing efforts by BFA to build talent pipelines, coaching programmes for women, and youth leagues – initiatives designed to create a lasting legacy beyond the national team.
“We’re working to ensure that the success and visibility of the senior team trickles down to our grassroots programmes,” Babitseng noted.
Countdown to Morocco
With the 2025 WAFCON scheduled to run from 5 to 26 July, the Mares are entering their final phase of preparation, driven by belief, momentum, and a deepening sense of national pride.
Under head coach Alex Malete, the team has been in consistent training and competitive action since securing qualification.
“Our preparations are going well,” Malete said last week at a high-level stakeholder engagement hosted by BFA in Gaborone. “With less than 45 days to go until our first match against Algeria, I’m proud to confirm that everything is on track.”
Proactive approach
He noted that Botswana took a proactive approach from the moment qualification was secured. “We didn’t wait,” Malete said. “We got to work in December, and since then we’ve held both local and international training camps.
“I’m proud to say that of the 12 teams that qualified for WAFCON 2025, we rank second in terms of the number of games played last year.”