South Africa Women’s World Cup team sits out game in pay dispute as 13-year-old player called in

In a surprising turn of events, South Africa's national soccer federation, SAFA, was forced to assemble a makeshift squad, including a 13-year-old player, for their last warm-up match ahead of the Women's Football World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

The main team, embroiled in a pay dispute with the governing body, refused to take the field, prompting the last-minute arrangement.

The hastily organized match against Botswana took place in Johannesburg, but the venue was a mere 5,000-capacity stadium on the outskirts of the city, leaving the players disheartened. As the start was delayed by an hour, the host association struggled to put together a team for the game.

The match itself proved to be a tough challenge for the young South African girls, as they were outclassed by Botswana, who secured a 5-0 victory. Despite the one-sided scoreline, the South African players displayed some resistance in the second half, and their efforts were witnessed by the World Cup-bound squad, who chose not to participate in the game as a form of protest.

Thulaganyo Gaoshubelwe, the president of the South Africa Football Players Association, voiced support for the players' stance, citing inadequate payments as a contributing factor to the protest. Gaoshubelwe criticized SAFA for their reluctance to address financial matters within player contracts, stating, "We must fight for the rights of these players."

Furthermore, Gaoshubelwe placed blame on SAFA President Danny Jordaan for the ongoing impasse. To resolve the issue, South Africa's Sports Minister, Zizi Kodwa, has scheduled a meeting with the players' union on Tuesday to discuss possible solutions.

Despite the internal strife, the South African squad is set to depart for the Women's Football World Cup in two groups on Tuesday and Wednesday. Their participation in the tournament is now overshadowed by the underlying tensions between the players and SAFA, raising concerns about the team's cohesiveness and performance on the global stage.