By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Banyana Banyana kit sponsors, Le Coq Sporif, on Friday unveiled more shirts that the senior national women’s team will wear at this year’s Fifa Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
LeCoqSportif had asked for local designers to submit their concepts, with over 50 ideas being submitted before a five-name shortlist was drawn up and presented to players from Banyana and Bafana.
After the national team players gave their inputs, Lwazi Ngcungama of FreewayartsD was announced as the winner of the competition.
Happy Freedom Day Mzansi ??
Alternate Kit dropped. Introducing the all new in Legacy Jersey.
Soft launch 07:00 am. 28/04/2023. ?
Set your clocks to see more ?⏱️#Lecoqsportifza #safa #lcsport #shareyourlcs #banyana #bafana #collection #launch #freedomday pic.twitter.com/VHSfy0P04P— lecoqsportif za (@LeCoqSportif_SA) April 27, 2023
On Friday morning, the predominantly yellow home kit and the green and golden away kit were now officially launched.
Lwazi Ngcungama (Winner of the Design Campaign) used the pattern of the South African flag to encapsulate this idea of nationhood by imprinting the flag in the front and back panel of the jersey,” LeCoqSportif said via a statement.
“In the left side panel of the jersey the inscription reads “Nkosi Sikelel’ I’Afrika” which is the name of the South African National Anthem – further embodying this notion of patriotism, togetherness and sense of ‘Ubuntu’.”
The new LCS x SAFA home jersey carries the South African flag in both the front and back panel, embodying nationhood, patriotism and essence of Ubuntu.
See it donned for the first time when Banyana flies the SA flag high in AUS/NZ. ??#Lecoqsportifza #safa #banyana #bafana pic.twitter.com/w3Eob76czA
— lecoqsportif za (@LeCoqSportif_SA) April 28, 2023
In this Away jersey, Lwazi Ngcungama used the pattern of the South African National Flower – the Protea. The Protea is expanded and turned into a vector to create the unique style you see in the jersey,” LeCoqSportif stated.
“Not only does the pattern carry the National Flower of South Africa but it also carries the colours of which Banyana Banyana achieved success in the recent Women’s African Cup of Nations.
The green and gold is symbolic in that Banyana Banyana won the competition wearing the green/away SAFA x Le Coq Sportif playing jersey 2021/2022.”
The new LCS x SAFA away jersey is a celebration of Banyana’s success in Rabat, wearing green when they picked up gold in 2022.
A statement piece for a statement team who continue to forge the path for generations to come. #Lecoqsportifza #safa #lcsport #banyana #bafana pic.twitter.com/ON5Obghgyd
— lecoqsportif za (@LeCoqSportif_SA) April 28, 2023
LeCoqSportif and SAFA will have a second launch involving Banyana and Bafana towards the end of the May when the kit will go on sale.
Banyana will wear the jerseys at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
South Africa have been drawn in Group G at the World Cup, along with Sweden, Argentina and Italy. Ellis’ charges will play Sweden in Wellington in July 23, Argentina in Dunedin on July 28 and Italy in Wellington in August 2. The top two teams in each of the eight groups at the World Cup will go to the last 16.