In the last four years, the status of Banyana Banyana has changed considerably.

Newcomers at the world stage in France back in 2019, South Africa is heading to the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™ as African champions.

The African champions are breaming with confidence thanks to their 2-0 victory in a warm-up match against Costa Rica and are ready to go against Olympic silver-medallists, Sweden in their opening match on Sunday at Sky Stadium, New Zealand.

Coach Desiree Ellis will be looking to her key striker Thembi Kgatlana to do the magic upfront.

The Banyana Banyana forward has just recovered from her Achilles Tendon injury and will be keen to catch up after missing a good part of the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, where her teammates went on to lift the trophy in her absence.

Another asset for the South Africans is the energetic, Jermaine Seopesenwe.

At the dawn of her thirties, the hard-working forward is coming of age. More calculative and mature in her game, the CF Monterrey striker wants to leave her mark at this year’s global showpiece.

Speaking ahead of the opener, coach Ellis said: “I think that it is a group that does not pose any problems. And if you look at the others groups, we could have been with the United States, the Netherlands, Japan, Spain, France or Brazil.

“I do not underestimate or devalue any of the opponents of our group. But I think it’s a balanced group”.

Kick Off for the fixture will be at 05h00 GMT.