COSAFA Women’s Championship: Eswatini not pushovers – Makhukhula

Eswatini women’s national team coach Bongani Makhukhula is certainly sick and tired of her team being viewed as underdogs.

Going into the COSAFA Women’s Championship scheduled for South Africa from February 18 to March 1, the coach has warned all their opponents.

Makhukhula declared on Wednesday that days of viewing his team, which is affectionately called Sitsebe SaMhlekazi, as pushovers were truly over.

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— EFA (@eswatinifa) February 10, 2026

“We are not pushovers anymore,” the coach told the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) website. “We are not going there just to add numbers; we are going to compete. The players have developed a new level of self-belief and are looking forward to the tournament.”

The warning issued at EFA Training Centre is certainly directed at Sitsebe SaMhlekazi’s Group B opponents Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana.

Eswatini have reached the semifinal of the COSAFA Women’s Championship five times proving that they are indeed not to be taken lightly

For the avoidance of doubt, Eswatini national team captain Simangele Sikhondze echoed Makhukhula’s sentiments. She said: “Preparations are going well, and we are working together as a team.”

Sikhondze said she was aware that Eswatini needs to up their performance to match international football standards which are higher than Eswatini Women’s League action.

Sitsebe SaMhlekazi have since stepped up their preparations for the regional tournament to take place in Polokwane in the neighbouring country.

Know Eswatini’s COSAFA Championship opponents

The tournament involves 11 teams drawn into three groups—two comprising four each and the other three—ensuring no premature collision of traditional giants, South Africa and the defending champions, Zambia.

Returning after a hiatus last year, the COSAFA Women’s Championship will see record seven-time champions Banyana Banyana competing in Group A alongside 2023 champions Malawi, Angola and Lesotho.

The Hollywoodbets COSAFA Women’s Championship 2025 has been implemented. pic.twitter.com/EZz809EdON

— EFA (@eswatinifa) February 4, 2026

Fast-improving Mozambique are the team to watch in Group C comprising teams that have never won the title namely Madagascar and Namibia.

Format of play for COSAFA Women’s Championship

This is the only three-member group. Mauritius, Comoros and Seychelles and Namibia are conspicuously absent from this year’s competition; hence, the imbalance in the numbers in Group C.

Outlining the competition’s playing format via a statement, COSAFA says the overall winner of each group will progress to the semifinal stage alongside with the best runner.

“Because there are three teams in Group C, results against the bottom sides in Groups A and B will be disregarded for the purposes of that calculation,” reads the statement.

Matches will be broadcast live on FIFA+ and COSAFA’s YouTube channel.

COSAFA Women’s Championship offers South Africa, Zambia and Malawi, a platform to fine-tune for their participation in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations finals scheduled from March 17 to April 3.