South Africa’s women's football national team, Banyana Banyana head coach, Desiree Ellis, has encouraged Bloemfontein football supporters to show up as the team continues its journey towards the 2028 Olympic qualification.

With the first leg Olympics Qualifier duel against Madagascar today, 9 October 2026, being played behind closed doors at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein, Ellis encouraged supporters in Free State capital to rally behind the team in the second leg of their encounter against on 13 October at the same venue.

Due to their lack of state-of-the-art facilities and resources in their country, Madagascar are the official hosts in the first leg match, with South Africa hosting the second leg.

“Just a reminder to the fans out there, the 1st leg is closed. No fans are all out in the stadium. So we just urge all the fans in Bloemfontein them to come out and really show what a home game is for us in the 2nd match,” Ellis stated at a press conference at Dr Molemela Stadium

The two-legged clashes form part of preparations for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic games. The qualifier matches are structured as a six-team intercontinental mini tournament running from 24 November until 5 December 2026.

Ellis explained that the preparatory work serves a dual purpose beyond consecutive encounters with the island nation due to tight training schedules.

“So we are using it two-fold because we have very little time to prepare, and we know that it is a very big tournament as well that we need to prepare for. So we are doing a two-fold. We are preparing for Madagascar, but also looking at how we can get the team to be a better version of themselves come November,” she said.

Madagascar are ranked 191st, standing 134 places below Banyana Banyana, though coaching staff cautioned against complacency by emphasising a mindset focused on playing to win.

“The rankings do not mean anything. It's 11 vs 11, and if you do not take the game seriously, before you know it, you are chasing the game. So we will take the game really, really seriously.

“We have played them twice before in 2018 and 2019. We know that we can beat them, but that means nothing. You still got to go on the field, and do the job,” Ellis stated.

Blending younger talent with experienced campaigners, for Ellis, has further proved essential for maintaining squad depth and long-term competitiveness.

“We have always been a team that has brought in newer, younger players. You know, a lot of them are a little bit more experienced now, with a lot more caps, and we will consistently do that because we want to make sure when more senior players eventually step out that there's someone to step in," she added.

Team captain, Refiloe Jane, stressed the importance of establishing a strong advantage during the opening fixture to reduce pressure ahead of the return leg.

“Well, it’s gonna be important to make sure that in the first leg, you do so well, you get the important result, because you do not want to put yourself under pressure,” said the skipper.

Securing qualification for the Olympics will additionally elevate player morale while fostering the broader growth of women's football across the country.

“Oh, well, it's important to qualify, you know, when you play in big tournaments, it opens more for the players, and for the development of women's football in our country,” she concluded.