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E2.5m IN FOUR MONTHS FOR ROYAL LEOPARDS

08/04/2025 08:53:00 Sanele Jele

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MBABANE – Royal Leopard’s coffers are swelling at an impressive rate.

The Eswatini football powerhouse clinched the Ingwenyama Cup with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Moneni Pirates at Somhlolo National Stadium this past Sunday, thanks to a second-half strike from Thokozani ‘Thikithi’ Dlamini.

This triumph delivered a hefty E1.45 million payday, bolstering their earnings for the season. The Ingwenyama Cup victory also carries a ticket to compete in the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Confederation Cup.

This latest windfall adds to the E100 000 bonus they secured earlier in the campaign after holding Green Mamba to a goal-less draw, a result that saw them top the first-round log standings. With that, Leopard’s prize money surged to E1.55 million – and there’s more to come.

Their participation in the CAF Confederation Cup guarantees an additional US$50 000, which, at an exchange rate of approximately E19 per USD (as of April 7, 2025), translates to E950 000. Factoring in this CAF fee, Royal Leopard’s total earnings climb to an eye-catching E2.5 million.

boost

Currently leading the MTN Premier League with 42 points, Leopard are in pole position to further boost their haul. Should they lift the league title, a cool E1 million awaits, pushing their seasonal earnings to about E3 million.

This financial success marks a turnaround for a side that had struggled to secure the Ingwenyama Cup since its inception in 2015. Their first major trophy of the 2021/22 season came via the league title, but the elusive Ingwenyama Cup had remained out of reach until this past weekend.

Mbabane Swallows dominate the competition’s roll of honour, having won it three times (2016, 2017, 2018), while Young Buffaloes claimed the 2019 edition and Green Mamba triumphed in 2020 and 2023.

Leopard’s recent victory ends a drought and signals their growing dominance in Eswatini football.

Their exploits extend beyond domestic borders, with Royal Leopard set to compete in the CAF Confederation Cup.

Historically, their highest achievement in CAF tournaments came during the 2021/22 season, when they reached the group stage. That campaign saw them stun Algerian giants JS Kabylie in the second preliminary round, advancing on away goals after a 2-2 aggregate draw (1-0 home win, 2-1 away loss).

In the group stage, they faced tough opposition, including South Africa’s Orlando Pirates, Libya’s Al-Ittihad and Algeria’s JS Saoura, finishing bottom of Group B with three points from six matches (one win, five losses). Despite the modest record, reaching the group stage remains their pinnacle in continental competition, a feat they will aim to build on in the upcoming edition.

Leopard’s last CAF outing was in the 2022/23 season, where they fell short of the group stage, losing 3-2 on aggregate to Mali’s AS Real Bamako in the second preliminary round (1-1 home, 2-1 away). This time, with E950 000 already secured for participation and the potential for more if they progress, the financial stakes are as high as the competitive ones. Efforts to get comment from Leopard Public Relations Officer (PRO) and Manager Frank Hurube were futile as he could not be reached immediately.