CAF DEADLINE FOR SIHLANGU VENUE

MBABANE – Deadline for Sihlangu fate on Tuesday.

By Tuesday, March 16, the nation will know where Sihlangu will host their 2022 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Qualifier match against the ‘African Wild Dogs’ of Guinea Bissau. According to the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Frederick Mngomezulu, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) is compelled by the competition’s regulations to issue a fixture for the national team at least 10 days before match day. The match is scheduled for Friday, March 26, meaning CAF should release the fixture by next Tuesday the latest. The CEO, however, disclosed that it might be sooner than next Tuesday, meaning any day from today, as they had earlier highlighted that the process was expected to take about two weeks as there are other components involved such as awarding TV rights.

broadcast

“CAF will release the fixture and in the same process the organisation must sort out TV rights with TV stations they intend to use for broadcast of the matches and we knew that it will not be a quick process for these reasons. We also do not want to put CAF under pressure but based on regulations, the deadline to issue out the fixture is 10 days before match day,” explained Mngomezulu. Meanwhile, the CEO had earlier highlighted that for the EFA, it was only to recommend. He said after some considerations, CAF would then issue the date and time and venue for the match. Mngomezulu said all they did internally, as per the CAF directive, was to identify possible options from CAF member associations where the match would be played. “Immediately, there were several options which we communicated on Monday, March 1. We are not responsible for where the match would be played but CAF tells us what will happen. We had to give CAF a wide range of options which could be about seven,” he said. This therefore means the local football association will have to cater for the costs of booking the venue to be confirmed by CAF. One of the probable options is the Mbombela Stadium, one of the host venues for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, which is very expensive for rental.

Cost

Mbombela is said to cost close to a million emalangeni for rental especially when it has to do with such international matches. Other possible venues for Eswatini to host the AFCON qualifier include Johannesburg’s Orlando Stadium and Dobsonville Stadium. The Namachaa Stadium in Maputo, Mozambique and Thulamahashe Stadium in Nelspruit are other practical venues for the nation’s pride to host Guinea Bissau. Lesotho and Botswana are also options for the continental football mother body to fixture Sihlangu.

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