Ex-Banyana Banyana Captain Dludlu Calls SA Women’s Football a ‘Glorified Hobby’
- Simphiwe Dludlu has raised fresh questions about what it really means to be a professional women’s footballer in South Africa
- The former Banyana Banyana captain says many national team players still balance football with work or studies
- Her comments come as new research highlights the financial pressures facing women competing in elite sport
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Source: UGC
Former Banyana Banyana captain Simphiwe Dludlu has described South African women’s football as a “glorified hobby”, arguing that many players still cannot rely on the game as their sole career.
Dludlu, who also coached South Africa’s junior women’s teams, said the situation extends to national team players.
“Women’s football is a glorified hobby if I’m being honest. A lot of players, and I’m talking about a huge number, have to combine it with jobs and studying as well, and those are national team players,” Dludlu said, as reported by IOL.
She added that playing overseas can make the difference between football being a profession and something players have to fit around other commitments.
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“The only players that can call themselves professional players are the ones who earn a salary from football and those are mostly the ones that play overseas,” she said.
Banyana Banyana's success shows what investment can do
Banyana Banyana’s rise on the continental and global stage has been accompanied by greater investment in the women’s game. South Africa lifted the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations before featuring at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, while more local players have since earned opportunities abroad.
Dludlu believes those milestones show that investment can produce meaningful results.
“The investments made in the league have been reflected in how the levels of our women’s game grew over the years,” she said.
Source: Twitter
Dludlu calls for more professional investment
South Africa’s top-flight women’s competition is currently the Hollywoodbets Super League, with the 2026 season featuring a revamped format.
For Dludlu, the focus now needs to shift towards creating a more sustainable professional pathway for players. She believes the women’s game needs more sponsorship, alongside a domestic competition operating at a fully professional level.
“The next step is a clear one; the game does need more sponsors around the country,” Dludlu said.
She also called for another tier above the existing league, saying, “We already have a league but we need one that’s a level above as well, a professional one.”
Dludlu also wants investment to focus on developing players who can challenge established Banyana stars.
“South Africa has players and talented ones obviously, but we don’t have enough that are refined at the moment,” she said.
Her comments ultimately point to a broader measure of progress: whether more players can eventually make football their livelihood rather than balancing it with another career.
Banyana Banyana’s historic WAFCON moment
Briefly News previously reported that Robyn and Gabriela Moodaly-Salgado made history at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
The married couple became the first pair to feature together in a WAFCON matchday squad when South Africa faced Tanzania in Casablanca on 28 July 2026. Robyn started the match, while Gabriela came on in the second half.
Gabriela’s return was particularly significant after a serious leg injury had kept her out of football and major continental action.
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Source: Briefly News
