South Africa’s opening match against Tanzania on Monday at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations produced a historic moment as married couple Robyn Moodaly and Gabriela Salgado featured together for Banyana Banyana, becoming the first spouses to play in the same WAFCON match.
The milestone was achieved during South Africa’s Group B opener against Tanzania on Monday, July 27, marking the first time in the history of the continental tournament that a married couple has shared the pitch in the same match.
he Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, Africa’s premier women’s football tournament organised by the Confederation of African Football, was first held in 1991.
Since its inception, the competition has grown into the continent’s biggest women’s football championship, with the 2026 edition producing another landmark moment through the participation of Moodaly and Salgado.
According to Leagues Reporter, a football platform that posted their picture together, Moodaly and Salgado, both regular members of the South African women’s national team, have been among the country’s most recognisable footballers in recent years and have openly shared their relationship with fans.
Their appearance together underlined the growing inclusiveness of women’s football while adding another memorable chapter to South Africa’s rich history in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
The pair have both represented Banyana Banyana at major international competitions and continue to play key roles for the reigning African champions as they seek another successful WAFCON campaign.
The historic feat has drawn widespread attention from football fans, with many celebrating the couple’s achievement as a landmark moment for African women’s football.
Things to know about Robyn Moodaly and Gabriela Salgado
1. They are the first married couple to feature in the same match in the history of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
2. They achieved the feat during South Africa’s opening Group B match against Tanzania on Monday, July 27, 2026.
3. Both represent South Africa’s senior women’s national team, Banyana Banyana.
4. Robyn Moodaly is an attacking midfielder known for her creativity and technical ability.
5. Gabriela Salgado is a forward who has represented South Africa at several major international tournaments.
6. Salgado was born in Johannesburg, Gauteng, to a Portuguese father and a Lebanese mother.
7. Salgado was first called up to the South Africa national team on 22 January 2017, albeit as an unused substitute against France.
8. Salgado was named to senior women’s team at the 2020 COSAFA Women’s Championship.
9. She scored the team’s winning goal in the 66th minute in the final en route to their seventh COSAFA title.
10. On 22 July 2025, she a fractured her mid-shaft in her left leg during the semi-final match against Nigeria, ruling her out for the remainder of the year.
11. The couple are married and have publicly shared aspects of their relationship on social media.
12. They have both been part of South Africa’s recent generation of players competing at the highest level of women’s football.
3. Robyn Moodaly plays for Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies, while Gabriela Salgado plays for Tigres UANL Femenil in Mexico.
14. Their joint appearance at WAFCON represents a unique milestone in African football history and highlights the increasing visibility of LGBTQ+ athletes in women’s football.
