IT’S E2.4M PNP BOOST FOR U-15S

MBABANE – It’s kick-off time with PnP – get off the sidelines as it’s time to shine.

The future looks bright for Eswatini football as Pick n Pay (PnP) Eswatini yesterday launched a new partnership with the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) for football development in the country. The partnership saw Lojaf PnP pumping a staggering over E2.4 million towards football development by the EFA for under-15s. A package of the first edition amounting to E807 090 was launched yesterday at the posh Hilton Garden Inn inside the capital city. The package will run for three years with each edition taking the over E800 000 sponsorship in under-15s football development through a tournament called PnP/EFA U-15 Football Development Programme to focus on both boys and girls. In total, the package after three years totals E2 421 270.

It was explained that phase one of the competition will start on April 23 and will end on September 17. The competition will be played at currently under renovation Somhlolo National Stadium, but almost near completion with about five weeks estimated to be the period before its availability.  It is expected to feature both girls and boys. According to the presentation by Nuno Xavier of Retail Executive at Lojaf PnP, 80 teams from 10 zones will be selected. Kick-off is expected to be April 23 until September 17, this year.

“There will be 60 boys and 20 girls clubs. The players will be picked from where there are branches of Pick n Pay such as Mashayitafula, The Crescent, The Gable’s, Mahhala, The Riverstone Mall, The Hub, Nhlangano, Malkerns, Mbabane and Siteki. Each player will receive their own supplier branded soccer kits,” said Xavier. He explained that Phase Two would take one month and would consist of 10 leagues of 20 teams each where about 400 players were expected to be selected for the final phase which will then be a one-day event before the national finals to consist of 10 teams and 200 players. The first phase will run until September whereby 1 600 players are expected.

Xavier explained that the implementation of this project will reduce the gap within the football growth structure of the EFA, especially when it comes to player development. Without going into detail, Xavier said the promising talent would be awarded good prizes. Noteworthy is that the format looks similar to that of the Build it under-15 tournament run by the EFA before COVID-19 struck which also came with the Amazulu FC partnership that saw the shining youngsters get an opportunity to join the South African team’s academy ranks.

Momentous

This was all before EFA President Peter ‘Samora’ Simelane and Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs Minister Harries ‘Madze’ Bulunga. The latter excitedly welcomed the gesture by thanking PnP Eswatini and EFA for the new partnership. He said the launch was a momentous occasion and one that had the potential of proving to becoming a game changer and turning point for local football. “This Pick n Pay/EFA Programme is exactly what our football has been crying out for. It speaks directly to the need for football to create a properly coordinated platform to discover and nurture talent among younger age groups countrywide,” said Bulunga.

On another note, Simelane also said the sponsorship would align with their vision of developing a fully-fledged and sustainable youth development structure that would be the basis for talent identification. Meanwhile, the Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) had its development leagues in the under-17 and under-20 league were due to abandon the latter for under-15s as per FIFA’s demands for development.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: