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THE 2018 Cosafa Women’s Championship is due to be staged in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, from September 12-22 and below are some statistics on the tournament and women’s football in Africa.

0 – The number of Cosafa sides that have qualified for the Fifa Women’s World Cup … it remains a major goal for teams from the region, with their next chance the 2019 tournament that will be hosted by France.

1 – South Africa will be hosting the Cosafa Women’s Championship for the first time. Zimbabwe have hosted on three previous occasions, with Zambia and Angola staging the event once each.

2 – Namibia (2006) and Angola (2008) have both appeared in the final of the Cosafa Women’s Championship before, but have yet to lift the trophy.

2 – The number of nations that have won the African Women’s Championship. Nigeria have 10 titles and Equatorial Guinea two. The latter pursued an agenda of offering passports to players born outside of the country that boosted their national team.

2 – The number of venues that will be used for the 2018 Cosafa Women’s Championship in Port Elizabeth; the 10 000-seater Wolfson Stadium and the more intimate Gelvandale Stadium.

2 – Two Cosafa nations have qualified for the African Women’s Championship to be staged in Ghana from November 17 to December 1, namely South Africa and Zambia. South Africa have been runners-up on four previous occasions, while Zambia’s best finish in their three previous visits to the finals was the Last eight in 1995.

3 – Zambia have finished third at the Cosafa Women’s Championship on three occasions, including in 2017, but have yet to reach the final.

4 – South Africa have won the Cosafa Women’s Championship on four previous occasions in 2002, 2006, 2008 and 2017. They also made the final in 2011, but lost to hosts Zimbabwe.

6 – This year’s Cosafa Women’s Championship will be the sixth time the regional showpiece competition has been held.

6 – The number of Cosafa countries that have competed at the African Women’s Championship in the past; South Africa (11 times), Zimbabwe (four), Angola, Zambia (both two), Namibia and Mozambique. Reunion also made an appearance in 2000.

10 – Zimbabwean hot-shot Rutendo Makore was top scorer at the 2017 Cosafa Women’s Championship with 10 goals, but could not fire her side to a final win.

12 – The number of teams that will compete at the Cosafa Women’s Championship in Port Elizabeth this year; the joint biggest ever field for the showpiece tournament.

12 – The 2018 Cosafa Women’s Championship is set to start on September 12, with the final to be played 10 days later.

15 – The number of goals scored by Zimbabwe when they defeated Lesotho 15-0 in their Group A clash in 2002. This is the biggest win in Cosafa Women’s Championship history.

31 – The number of goals scored by South Africa in their three Cosafa Women’s Championship Group B matches in 2002. They beat Botswana (14-0), Mozambique (13-0) and Swaziland (4-0) on their way to the title.

51 – South Africa are the top-ranked side in the Cosafa region, according to the Fifa Women’s World Rankings, at number 51. They are the fourth best team in Africa, according to the list after Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon.

140 – The number of national teams playing women’s soccer around the world. A total of 26 of those are from Africa.

2018 – When the next African Women’s Championship will be staged, meaning the 2017 Cosafa Women’s Championship is the perfect preparations for the continental finals. – Cosafa