SA Hockey Announce Senior Women’s Squad as World Cup Journey Gathers Momentum

South African Hockey has announced the South Africa Senior Women’s Squad for 2026, with the selected group set to come together for an upcoming national training camp as preparations continue to build towards the FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup.

The squad brings together a compelling blend of established senior internationals, players who have continued to perform strongly on the domestic stage, and an exciting group of emerging talent pushing their way into the national conversation. The camp will provide an important opportunity for the national programme to deepen combinations, assess the broader playing group and continue shaping the team’s pathway towards the game’s biggest stage.

The 32-player squad reflects the strength and growing depth of the women’s game across the country. The selection follows the recent Senior Women’s IPT, with the majority of the squad having featured at the 2026 edition of the tournament.

Among those named are experienced national team figures such as Onthatile Zulu, Hannah Pearce, Stephanie Botha, Kayla De Waal and Marlise van Tonder, while players including Jodie Blows, Jehan Abrahams, Nomsa Mzizi, Reabestwe Phume and Baylee Engelke form part of a younger generation continuing to make a strong impression.

The camp represents another significant step in South Africa’s long-term preparation, with the national programme focused on building a squad capable of competing with confidence and ambition on the world stage. Beyond tactical and technical work, the gathering will allow the coaching and selection structures to strengthen the environment, test combinations and continue driving standards as the road to the World Cup sharpens.

South Africa Senior Women’s Squad 2026

The announcement signals the next chapter for the South African Women’s programme, as a talented group begins the work of turning depth into strength, promise into performance and ambition into a World Cup-ready unit.