The CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifiers Botswana 2026 will be staged from August 20-29 in Gaborone, as the leading clubs in the region aim for a place at the continental finals later in the year.
There is much more than regional pride at stake, as the winners of the trophy will represent Southern Africa on the continental stage.
This will be the sixth edition of the qualifiers since the tournament was added to the calendar in 2021, and COSAFA has sent seven teams to the finals in the past, with two clubs qualifying in both 2022 and 2024.
Here is how they fared.
2021 CAF Women’s Champions League.
Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
South Africa’s Sundowns went to the continental finals and returned as champions, defeating Hasaacas Ladies from Ghana 2-0 in the decider in Cairo. They finished top of their pool and then edged Malabo Kings from Equatorial Guinea on penalties in the semi-finals following a 0-0 draw.
In all, they won three and drew two of their five games at the finals.
2022 CAF Women’s Champions League
Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) & Green Buffaloes (Zambia)
Sundowns returned as defending champions and were joined in the field in Morocco by Green Buffaloes from Zambia, who had edged them on penalties in the regional final.
Buffaloes won one of their three pool matches, against Determine Girls of Liberia, but it was not enough to advance as they finished third. Sundowns topped their group with three wins and beat Simba Queens of Tanzania 1-0 in the semi-finals to make back-to-back appearances in the decider.
But they lost 4-0 to AS FAR of Morocco in the final, in a game in which they received two red cards. This time, they had to settle for the silver medal.
2023 CAF Women’s Champions League
Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
Sundowns qualified for a third successive year as COSAFA champions and went all the way to lift the trophy again at the continental finals in Côte d’Ivoire. They again breezed through their group with three wins before gaining revenge over AS FAR with a 1-0 victory in the semi-finals.
That set up a final meeting with another Moroccan side, SC Casablanca, and Sundowns were handsome 3-0 winners as they claimed the trophy without conceding a goal in any of their five games.
2024 CAF Women’s Champions League
Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) & University of the Western Cape (South Africa) This time, Sundowns qualified as defending champions and therefore did not take part in the COSAFA qualifiers, which were instead won by compatriots University of the Western Cape (UWC).
But neither side was able to get out of their pool at the continental finals, which were won by TP Mazembe from DR Congo. Sundowns won one of their three pool games and finished third, losing to Egyptian side FC Masar and Edo Queens from Nigeria.
It was the same story for UWC, who beat Aigles de la Médina from Senegal 2-0, but then lost to TP Mazembe and AS FAR in what was a tough pool, finishing third.
2025 CAF Women’s Champions League
Gaborone United Ladies (Botswana)
Gaborone United Ladies claimed the regional title when they beat ZESCO Ndola Girls in the final of the COSAFA competition, after the latter had ousted Sundowns in the semi-finals.
It meant a new entrant for the region on the continental stage, and it will have been a valuable learning experience for the Botswana outfit, who finished fourth in their pool with one draw and two defeats.
They held JKT Queens from Tanzania to a 0-0 draw, but then lost to TP Mazembe and ASEC Mimosas of Côte d’Ivoire.
AS FAR from Morocco lifted the trophy.