COSAFA Qualifier 2024 will take place in Malawi from August 15-24, with the draw set for Wednesday, July 24.
You can catch the draw LIVE on the COSAFA YouTube channel and Facebook page from at 11h00 CAT (09h00 GMT).
We look back at the numbers from the past three years and as the clubs battle it out in for a place at the continental finals later this year.
0 – Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa have yet to lose a game in the competition, beaten only on post-match penalties in the 2022 final. They have played 13 matches, won 11 and drawn two, scoring 52 goals and conceding four. They have qualified automatically for the continental finals as holders and will not appear in Malawi.
1 – Rutendo Makore (Black Rhinos Queens, 2021), Melinda Kgadiete (Mamelodi Sundowns, 2022) and Lesego Radiokanyo (Double Action Ladies, 2023) and the past recipients of the Player of the Tournament prizes.
1 – All matches at the 2024 qualifier will be played at the Mpira Stadium in Blantyre.
2 – The top two teams in each of the four-club first round pools will advance to the semifinals, giving little room for error for the sides.
2 – Only the top team in Malawi will advance to the continental finals, but COSAFA will have two clubs in the eight-team showpiece event as Mamelodi Sundowns have automatically qualified. This was also the case in 2022 when Sundowns qualified as holders and were joined by Green Buffaloes from Zambia.
2 – Mamelodi Sundowns are two-time continental champions after lifting the African crown in 2021 and 2023. They also made the final in 2022 but were beaten by hosts Moroccan hosts AS FAR.
2 – 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 taken a silver medal. He also has two continental crowns to his name.
4 – This will be the fourth staging of the CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifier, with Mamelodi Sundowns winning in 2021 and 2023, and Green Buffaloes in 2022. The previous three qualifiers were all held in Durban.
5 – There will be five debutants at the CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifier this year – Ascent Soccer Academy (Malawi), Gaborone United (Botswana), Herentals Queens (Zimbabwe), UniĆ£o Desportiva de Lichinga (Mozambique) and University of Western Cape (South Africa). The three clubs that have participated before are 2022 winners Green Buffaloes, Young Buffaloes (Eswatini) and FC Ongos from Namibia, who were TURA Magic when they competed in 2021. Green Buffaloes will be the only team to have competed in all four editions.
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5 – Melinda Kgadiete from Mamelodi Sundowns was the leading scorer in the inaugural competition in 2021 with five goals, a number matched by Green Buffaloes’ Ireen Lungu in 2022. They remain the most goals scored in a single CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifier tournament.
8 – Mamelodi Sundowns hold the record for the biggest win in the competition after they defeated Comoros side Olympic de Moroni 8-0 in 2023.
8 – Mamelodi Sundowns’ Melinda Kgadiete is the all-time leading scorer in the competition with eight goals.
52 – The number of goals scored in 16 matches in the 2023 edition. This is a record, though it was also the first time there were eight teams competing.