EFA PAYS E200 000 FOR FNB STADIUM

MBABANE – The Eswatini Football Association (EFA) only gets E5 million allocation for the national team Sihlangu annually.

It does not look good for the country’s football not to have a professional and upmarket soccer stadium for international matches. It is fast-becoming a financial drain yet the resources are limited, especially because the EFA usually accommodates all the national squads in the meagre E5 million allocation. The senior national team is yet to host Togo and Cape Verde in their Group B of the TOTALEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2023 Qualifiers as well as Botswana in the TOTALEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2022 Qualifiers.

Renting

This, in essence, means the EFA could spend about E1 million in renting venues outside the country. This follows information from impeccable sources within the local mother body that the Burkina Faso match cost E200 000. Initially, the EFA had said no fans would be allowed into the venue for the match that finished 3-1 in favour of Burkina Faso on Tuesday. However, it is claimed last minute changes were made; the EFA managed to send about 50 fans there. The booking fees vary at FNB Stadium as they depend on the nature and magnitude of the event and the spectatorship, but it can go as high as slightly more than E500 000. At Mbombela Stadium, prices range from around E170 000 to E400 000 and EFA has used it once this year back in March. This was for the preliminary round of the AFCON 2023 Qualifier match against Somalia, while the country’s MTN Premier League leaders and defending champions also paid around the same fee as EFA for the Mbombela facility during its TOTALEnergies CAF Confederation Cup 2021/22 matches this year.

With the season finishing this Sunday in Eswatini, two teams of the current top four are set to play in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup as the country had only one tournament this season, just like the previous one. Leopard had played in the Champions League while Buffaloes was knocked out in the first round of the Confederation Cup before the former dropped to the second tier continental club tournament. Both Mavuso Sports Centre and Somhlolo National Stadium were banned by CAF from hosting international matches and signs are that the requirements needed in both venues may take years to fulfil for a country that still has a sports budget allocation of E7 million. “Call the EFA, you will know how expensive football will become for the country as we’re participating in all competitions. We are in the AFCON and CHAN Qualifiers which all come in home and away legs. The game at FNB alone took out E200 000 from the EFA coffers which is only for the stadium plus players’ allowances,” an impeccable source said.

EFA Communications and Marketing Officer Muzi Radebe said while he was witness to the high costs of hosting away from home, he could not attest to the FNB Stadium figure. However, he conceded that it was taking a lot from their coffers due to the country’s stadiums ban by CAF. “There are no stadiums in the country. Under the circumstances what can we do? It’s costly for us and it will all reflect in the upcoming EFA AGM where budgets and expenditures are made known to all stakeholders,” Radebe said.

representatives

Meanwhile, the two CAF inter-club representatives for Eswatini in the 2022/23 editions will become wholly clear on Sunday, but Leopard are bound to return but must determine if it’s the Champions League or the Confederation Cup but a spot is guaranteed. Second-placed Mbabane Highlanders who close the season against traditional rivals Mbabane Swallows at Mavuso Sports Centre on Sunday can still be champions and go to the Champions League. Also, Highlanders can miss out with both Swallows and Buffaloes hopeful. Buffaloes play Leopard in the last game and must overturn a 3-1 first round defeat while in the capital city derby, Highlanders won 1-0 in the reverse fixture.

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