2027 WWC Playoffs: Ramalepe Rallies Banyana For Tough Super Falcons Test

South Africa defender Lebohang Ramalepe has urged her teammates to remain mentally strong ahead of their FIFA Women’s World Cup play-in clash against Nigeria’s Super Falcons.

Banyana Banyana missed out on automatic qualification for the 2027 Women’s World Cup after suffering a 2-1 defeat to hosts Morocco in the 2026 WAFCON quarter-finals.

Nigeria also failed to reach the semi-finals after losing 1-0 to Cameroon in their own quarter-final match.

South Africa must now defeat their long-time rivals, Nigeria, in the play-in match to keep their hopes of reaching the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup alive.

Ramalepe has called on her teammates to remain focused and show greater mental resilience despite their disappointing WAFCON exit.

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“What is required is mental toughness. As a team, we just need to ask ourselves: what is it that we want?

“If we go into the next match with the mentality of ‘all is lost’…no, we still have a chance, all is not lost,” Ramalepe was quoted by ESPN.