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The Lesotho women's national football team is the national team of Lesotho and is controlled by the Lesotho Football Association.

This article needs to be updated. (August 2018)

Lesotho

Association	Lesotho Football Association
Confederation	CAF (Africa)
Sub-confederation	COSAFA (Southern Africa)
Head coach	Lehloenya Nkhasi
Captain	Boitumelo Rabale
FIFA code	LES
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	169 2 (13 October 2022)[1]
Highest	92 (2009)
Lowest	167 (August 2022)
First international
Mozambique 0–3 Lesotho  (Mozambique; 28 March 1998)
Biggest win
Lesotho 3–0  Eswatini (Gqeberha, South Africa; 1 September 2022)
Biggest defeat
Lesotho 0–15 Zimbabwe  (Harare, Zimbabwe; 19 April 2002)

History

The senior team is nicknamed the Beautiful Flowers.[2]

On 28 March 1998, Lesotho played Mozambique in Mozambique. The game was tied 0–0 at the half before Mozambique scored three goals to win the game 3–0.[3] In Maseru on 19 April 1998, Lesotho again played Mozambique. Lesotho was up 2–1 at the half and went on to win the game 4–2.[3] In 2002, the team played 4 games.[4] The country participated in the 2002 COSAFA Women's Championship in Harare, Zimbabwe. They were in Group A. They lost on 19 April to Zimbabwe 0–15, lost to Malawi 0–3 on 21 April, and lost to Zambia 1–3 on 23 April.[3][5] In 2003, the team played 1 game.[4] In 2004, the team played 1 game.[4] In 2005, the team played 2 games.[4] In 2005, Zambia was supposed to host a regional COSAFA women's football tournament, with ten teams agreeing to send teams including South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Seychelles, Mauritius, Madagascar, Lesotho, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland.[6]

In 2006, the team had 3 training sessions a week and played 2 games.[4] The country participated in the 2006 Council of Southern Africa Football Associations women's tournament in Lusaka. They were in Group B. On 22 August, they lost to South Africa 0–9. On 23 August, the team lost to Malawi 0–3.[3][5] The national team's poor performance was contributed to by the fact that they only held a training camp for the competition a week before it started.[7] In 2006, the national team coach was Lethola Masimong. Masimong wanted a national league created in the country in order to help develop the game and improve the national team's performance. His comments came after the team was eliminated from the 2006 Confederation of Southern African Football Associations tournament.[7]

In 2010, the country did not have a team competing in the African Women's Championships.[8] The country did not have a team competing at the 2011 All Africa Games.[9] In July 2011, the team played several games in Harare. On 2 July 2011, the Lesotho played Zimbabwe, losing 0–4. On 2 July, they played Mozambique. At half time, they were tied 2–2 but went on to win the game 3–2. On 5 July, they lost to Malawi 2–5.[3][10] The games were part of the 2011 COSAFA Women's Championship.[10] On 17 August 2011, in a game in Maseru, they lost 0–4 to Mozambique.[3]

In 2006, Lesotho women's national football team was ranked 125.[11] In 2007, they were ranked 144.[11] In 2008, they were ranked 117.[11] In 2009, they were ranked 92.[11] In 2010, they were ranked 128.[11] In 2011, they were ranked 136.[11] In March 2012, they were ranked 135th best in the world.[11] In June 2012, the team was ranked the 135th best in the world.[12]

Background and development

Early development of the women's game at the time colonial powers brought football to the continent was limited as colonial powers in the region tended to take make concepts of patriarchy and women's participation in sport with them to local cultures that had similar concepts already embedded in them.[13] The lack of later development of the national team on a wider international level symptomatic of all African teams is a result of several factors, including limited access to education, poverty amongst women in the wider society, and fundamental inequality present in the society that occasionally allows for female specific human rights abuses.[14] When quality female football players are developed, they tend to leave for greater opportunities abroad.[15] Continent wide, funding is also an issue, with most development money coming from FIFA, not the national football association.[15] Future, success for women's football in Africa is dependent on improved facilities and access by women to these facilities. Attempting to commercialise the game and make it commercially viable is not the solution, as demonstrated by the current existence of many youth and women's football camps held throughout the continent.[13] Nada Grkinic was FIFA's international development manager. In 2007, one of her goals was to work on improving women's football in Africa and included work specifically pertaining to Lesotho.[16]

The national federation was created in 1932.[4] They joined FIFA in 1964. Their kit includes blue, white and green shirts, white shorts, and blue and white socks.[4][17]

Football is the third most popular sport in the country, behind netball and athletics.[4] Inside Lesotho, football is used to develop women's self-esteem.[18] In 2006, there were 5,200 registered female football players, of which 5,000 were junior players and 200 were senior players.[4] The number of female players has been increasing. In 2000, there were 210 registered players. In 2001, there were 350 registered players. In 2002, there were 480 registered players. In 2003, there were 750 registered players. In 2004, there were 2,180 registered players. In 2005, there were 4,600 registered players. In 2006, there were 5,200 registered players.[4] In 2006, there were 61 total football clubs in the country, with 54 being mixed gendered teams and 7 being all women teams.[4] Rights to broadcast the 2011 Women's World Cup in the country were bought by the African Union of Broadcasting.[19]

Results and fixtures

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

  Win   Draw   Lose   Fixture

1998

Date	Location	Home team	Score	Away team	Source
28/03/1998	Mozambique	Mozambique	3:0 (0:0)	Lesotho	[3]
12/04/1998	Maseru	Lesotho	4:2 (2:1)	Mozambique	[3]

2002

Date	Location	Home team	Score	Away team	Source
19/04/2002	Harare	Zimbabwe	15:0	Lesotho	[3]
21/04/2002	Harare	Lesotho	0:3	Malawi	[3]
23/04/2002	Harare	Lesotho	1:3	Zambia	[3]

2006

Date	Location	Home team	Score	Away team	Source
22/08/2006	Lusaka	Lesotho	0:9 (0:5)	South Africa	[3]
23/08/2006	Lusaka	Lesotho	0:3 (0:1)	Malawi	[3]

2011

Date	Location	Home team	Score	Away team	Source
2/07/2011	Harare	Zimbabwe	4:0	Lesotho	[3]
3/07/2011	Harare	Lesotho	3:2 (2:2)	Mozambique	[3]
5/07/2011	Harare	Malawi	5:2	Lesotho	[3]
17/08/2011	Maseru	Lesotho	0:4	Mozambique	[3]

2022

Coaching staff

Current coaching staff

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (November 2020)

Role	Name	Ref.
Head coach	Pule Khojane	[20]

Managerial history

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (November 2020)

• Lehloenya Nkhasi(20xx–2022)
• Pule Khojane (2022-)

Players

Current squad

The following players were named on 20 August 2022 for the 2022 COSAFA Women's Championship tournament.[21]

Caps and goals accurate up to and including 30 October 2021.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Club
	1GK	Mpolokeng Mothomots'oanaz
	1GK	Mamakhabane Makibinyane
	1GK	Boitumelo Nkeane
	2DF	Ntsatsi Khakanyo
	2DF	Maqabane Mokhothu
	2DF	Bokang Ntsane
	2DF	Thato Sentje
	2DF	Ts'oanelo Leboka
	2DF	Mosili Mots'oeneng
	2DF	Lerato Mphou
	2DF	Mathebe Ramphielo
	3MF	Mosele Pita
	3MF	Nts'abeng Pelea
	3MF	Molemo Mokhothu
	3MF	Mats'eliso Nts'asa
	3MF	Maseriti Mohlolo
	3MF	Boitumelo Rabale	(1996-08-05) 5 August 1996 (age 26)	Mamelodi Sundowns
	3MF	Kefuoe Makoa
	4FW	Lits'eoana Maloro
	4FW	Nteboheleng Mohoshela
	4FW	Nthabeleng Potsane
	4FW	Phuzile Molefe
	4FW	Mats'eliso Makutoane

Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up to the Lesotho in the past 12 months.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up

Previous squads

COSAFA Women's Championship

• 2022 COSAFA Women's Championship squad

Individual records

*Active players in bold, statistics correct as of 1 January 2022.

Competitive record

FIFA Women's World Cup

FIFA Women's World Cup record
Year	Result	GP	W	D*	L	GF	GA	GD
1991	Did not exist
1995
1999
2003
2007	Did not enter
2011
2015	Did not qualify
2019	Did not enter
2023
Total	0/9	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Olympic Games

Summer Olympics record
Year	Result	Pld	W	D*	L	GS	GA	GD
1996	Did not exist
2000
2004
2008	Did not Qualify
2012	Did not enter
2016
2020
Total	0/7	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

Africa Women Cup of Nations

Africa Women Cup of Nations record
Year	Result	Matches	Wins	Draws	Losses	GF	GA
1991 to 2004	Did not exist
2006 to 2012	Did not enter
2014	Did not Qualify
2016	Did not enter
2018
2020	Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
2022	Did not enter
Total	0/12	-	-	-	-	-	-

African Games

African Games record
Year	Result	Matches	Wins	Draws	Losses	GF	GA	GD
2003	Did Not exist
2007	Did Not enter
2011
2015
2019
2023	To be determined
Total	0/4	0	0	0	0	0	0

Regional

COSAFA Women's Championship

COSAFA Women's Championship record
Year	Round	Pld	W	D*	L	GS	GA	GD
2002	Group stage
2006	Group stage
2008	did not enter
2011	Group stage	3	1	0	2	5	11	−6
2017	Group stage	3	1	0	2	2	7	−5
2018	Group stage	3	0	0	3	1	10	−9
2019	did not enter
2020	Group stage	2	0	0	2	0	17	−17
2021	did not enter
Total	Group stage	6	0	1	5	4	47	−43

*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

See also

• Sport in Lesotho
  • Football in Lesotho
    • Women's football in Lesotho
• Lesotho women's national under-17 team
• Lesotho women's national under-20 team
• Lesotho men's national football team

References

External links

• Official Lesotho Football Association website (in English)

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