AFTER HOSTING TWO CAF MATCHES AWAY: ‘BIRDS’ IN OVER E600K BILL

MBABANE – Competing in the CAF Champions League has proven to be an exorbitant endeavour for Eswatini envoys, Mbabane Swallows.

If the remarks made by Mbabane Swallows’ Public Relations Officer (PRO), Knowledge ‘Bhambo’ Ngwenya are anything to go by, then participating in the Confederation of African Football (CAF) tournament has come at a steep cost for the side. The PRO disclosed that the club expended over E600 000 in their two CAF matches. “We urge government to ensure that we are able to host our CAF games at home, as playing home matches away from home is financially burdensome. We have incurred expenses exceeding E600 000 in these two games,” he stated.

Ngwenya further noted that had they been hosting games at home, their costs would not only have been significantly lower, but they would also have attracted a larger fanbase, thereby enhancing the club’s revenue through gate takings.

Home

Swallows have played both Mozambique’s Clube Ferroviário da Beira and Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa away from their home ground. They faced the Mozambican side in Pretoria at Lucas Moripe Stadium and subsequently played the second leg against the Matola-based team at Black Bull Stadium in Mozambique, emerging victorious with a 1-0 aggregate score. In contrast, they hosted Sundowns at their South African venue, where they suffered a 0-4 defeat. The second leg of this tie is scheduled for the same venue, this Saturday.
According to sources close to the matter, Swallows have incurred approximately E100 000 in hosting costs in Pretoria alone.

Additional expenses for accommodation, training, preparations, travel and other logistics for these CAF matches could well exceed E500 000. According to an insider within Swallows’ organisation, the preliminary game against Ferroviário da Beira proved to be an expensive venture, costing the club a staggering E230 000.  “This hefty expenditure was largely due to the team’s unexpected obligation to provide transportation for the opposing team.” the source said.

Rehabilitation

Meanwhile, the Somhlolo National Stadium has been undergoing refurbishment and rehabilitation for over four years and has been deemed unfit by CAF to host international matches. Consequently, the national team has been compelled to play their home games in neighbouring South Africa. Recently, Eswatini hosted Mali at Mbombela Stadium, reportedly paying E120 000 in rental fees for the venue. Also, Green Mamba, who participated in a single match during the 2023/24 edition of the CAF Champions League, expressed concerns regarding the exorbitant expenses incurred while competing in CAF tournaments. They were reported to have stated that they spent over E500 000 for their game against UD Songo.

Remedy

Additionally, CAF has provided a remedy for teams participating in the preliminary stages, offering a lump sum of nearly E900 000. However, despite this financial support, the disbursement of CAF funds can be slow, leaving teams to cover expenses upfront while awaiting reimbursement from CAF.  It was further established that Swallows only netted about E150 000 from hosting the high-profile fixture against Sundowns due to costs related to hosting the fixture. PRO Ngwenya said the correspondence on ticket sales was yet to reach his office.Calls for the construction of a new stadium are not a recent development, as Members of Parliament (MPs) have consistently urged government to either expedite the rehabilitation of Somhlolo or proceed with the establishment of a new venue.

Hope

The Minister of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs, Bongani Nzima, has frequently instilled hope within the football community, assuring them that Somhlolo would be ready soon, although he has been unable to provide specific timelines. Additionally, Eswatini Football Association (EFA) President Peter ‘Samora’ Simelane was recently quoted, expressing optimism about their collaborative efforts with the Ministry of Sports to ensure the availability of Somhlolo. Government, through the Prime Minister, Russell Dlamini, did acknowledge an urgent need to construct a stadium, but no timelines were attached.

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