CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifier Botswana 2026 in Numbers
The CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifier Botswana 2026 will take place in Gaborone from August 20–29.
We look back at the numbers from the past five editions since the inception of the competition in 2021 as the clubs battle it out for a place at the continental finals later this year.
1 – Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa suffered their first-ever defeat in regulation time in the competition when they lost the 2025 semi-final 2-1 to ZESCO Ndola Girls. Prior to that, they had only been beaten on post-match penalties in the 2022 final. They have played 17 matches, won 14, drawn two and suffered that single defeat, scoring 64 goals and conceding six. They did not appear in 2024 as they qualified automatically for the continental finals as African champions.
1 – One Player of the Tournament has been named at each edition: Rutendo Makore (Black Rhinos Queens, 2021), Melinda Kgadiete (Mamelodi Sundowns, 2022), Lesego Radiakanyo (Double Action Ladies, 2023), Keitumetse Sithebe (Gaborone United, 2024) and Eneless Phiri (ZESCO Ndola Girls, 2025).
1 – Only the top team in Gaborone will advance to the continental finals.
2 – Mamelodi Sundowns are two-time continental champions after lifting the African crown in 2021 and 2023. They also reached the final in 2022 but were beaten by Moroccan hosts AS FAR.
2 – Former Mamelodi Sundowns coach Jerry Tshabalala is the most successful tactician in the CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifier, having lifted the trophy twice in three years and also won a silver medal. He also has two continental crowns to his name. He is now the coach of Moroccan side Sporting Club Casablanca.
4 – Four COSAFA clubs have qualified for the CAF Women’s Champions League continental finals: Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa, 2021–2024), Green Buffaloes (Zambia, 2022), University of the Western Cape (South Africa, 2024) and Gaborone United Ladies (Botswana, 2025).
4 – Green Buffaloes from Zambia and Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa jointly hold the record for the most appearances in the CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifier, with four each. Buffaloes appeared in the first four editions but did not qualify in 2025.
5 – Gaonyadiwe Ontlametse from Gaborone United Ladies holds the record for the most goals scored in a single CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifier match after she netted five times in the 10-1 victory over Lesotho’s Kick4Life in 2025.
5 – There have been five previous winners of the Golden Glove for the best goalkeeper at the CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifier: Precious Mudyiwa (Black Rhinos Queens, 2021), Aisha Mbwana (Green Buffaloes, 2022), Andile Dlamini (Mamelodi Sundowns, 2023), Siphesihle Dlamini (University of the Western Cape, 2024) and Tlamelo Pheresi (Gaborone United Ladies, 2025).
6 – This will be the sixth staging of the CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifier and the third different country to play host. South Africa has staged the qualifier four times and Malawi once.
7 – Gaonyadiwe Ontlametse from Gaborone United Ladies holds the record for the most goals scored in a single CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifier tournament after she netted seven in 2025 on the way to helping her side lift the trophy.
9 – The nine-goal margin in Gaborone United Ladies’ 10-1 group-stage victory over Kick4Life from Lesotho in 2025 is the biggest in the history of the competition.
11 – Gaonyadiwe Ontlametse has scored a record 11 goals in the qualifiers, four for Double Action Ladies and seven for Gaborone United.
19 – The number of clubs that have appeared in the first five editions of the CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifier. They have come from 10 different countries.
63 – The number of goals scored in 15 matches in the 2025 edition, which equates to 4.2 goals per game. That beat the previous best mark of 3.5 goals per game in the inaugural tournament in 2021.
221 – The number of goals scored across the first five tournaments, at an average of 3.35 goals per game.
