Former Banyana Banyana captain van Wyk and her partner expecting a baby

‘It’s important for people to understand it’s the new norm for same-sex couples to have children,’ says national team legend

21 January 2025 - 09:47
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Former Banyana Banayan captain Janine van Wyk and her partner Julia Molin announce pregnancy.
Former Banyana Banayan captain Janine van Wyk and her partner Julia Molin announce pregnancy.
Image: luliaamolin/ Instagram

Former Banyana Banyana captain Janine van Wyk has announced she and her partner Julia Molin are expecting their first child.

The 37-year-old most-capped footballer in Africa shared the news on Instagram.

Speaking to TimesLIVE, Van Wyk expressed her excitement at embarking on this new adventure.

“We’re incredibly excited and a little nervous. It’s such a big new chapter in our lives,” she said.

“What we’re most looking forward to is watching our little one grow and being there for all the milestones, big and small. Creating a loving, supportive environment for them to thrive in is important to us and we can’t wait to experience the joys and challenges of parenthood.”

As a same-sex couple, Van Wyk acknowledged there are many misconceptions about their relationship. She said they underwent intrauterine insemination to conceive, a process where sperm is directly placed into the uterus to facilitate conception.

“We had the opportunity to choose a sperm donor which was quite a fun experience. For me it's important for people to understand it’s the new norm for same-sex couples to have children.

“Everyone has the right to live their life authentically and to love who they choose without judgment. Families come in all shapes and forms and it’s about creating a home filled with love, respect and support.”

She said the most challenging aspect of their journey is navigating the unknown.

“As it’s our first baby, everything is new and unfamiliar but there’s a bit of a learning curve. What we’ve enjoyed most is the bonding and planning together, it’s brought us closer as a couple. Knowing we’re about to embark on this life-changing journey as a team has been the most beautiful part.”

The couple met in 2021 while playing for Glasgow City in Scotland and have been together for three years. They later played together in Greece before moving to South Africa, where Molin played for Van Wyk's club JVW.

Van Wyk said everyone was thrilled for them when they shared the news with their loved ones.

“Everyone was ecstatic for us. It was such a special moment to see people genuinely happy and excited about the news. Former teammates, in particular, were incredibly supportive and it’s heartwarming to know we’re surrounded by so much love and positivity.”

Defender Van Wyk is the most-capped African women's international with 185 appearances for Banyana. 


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