MBABANE – Tricky!
Local representatives in the 2026 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Women’s Champions League/Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) Zone qualifiers, Nsingizini Hotspurs Ladies, have been handed a challenging draw after being pitted against two-time champions Mamelodi Sundowns.
The Shiselweni-based outfit will be making their maiden appearance in a regional football competition after claiming their first-ever Eswatini Women’s Football League (EWFL) title, which earned them a spot in the qualifiers for the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League.
The Tobias Ntuli-led side dethroned Young Buffaloes Ladies, who had represented the country on three previous occasions. The army side had originally taken over the baton from Manzini Wanderers Ladies, who made history by becoming the first local club to compete in the regional showcase.
Nsingizini learnt their fate following the official draw conducted in Botswana yesterday. The regional showpiece will take centre stage from August 20–29, 2026, in Gaborone.
The reigning EWFL champions were drawn in Group B alongside South African Hollywoodbets Super League giants Mamelodi Sundowns.
The continental powerhouses boast two titles under their belt, having won the inaugural CAF Women’s Champions League in 2021 without losing a single match. They claimed their second title in 2023, having finished as runners-up in the 2022 edition.
The Derrick Shiba-owned side will also face Mozambican side Clube De Desportos Da Costa do Sol, who are not new to this competition, having featured in the previous edition. Completing the four-team group are debutants Silver Strikers from Malawi.
Even though the Malawians are new to this competition like Nsingizini, they pose a threat as they will feature players who are currently away in Morocco competing in the ongoing 2026 TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Meanwhile, Ntuli could not be reached for comment on the draw as his phone went unanswered by the time this report was compiled.
Former Green Mamba Ladies coach Maxwell ‘King Dunga’ Zikalala said Nsingizini are in a tough group and hopes they are preparing well for the tournament. “This is a strong group, I won’t lie. Malawian women’s football is improving, as seen with their national team away in Morocco. I can’t talk much about Sundowns because we all know what they are capable of,” Zikalala said.
The former national team Sihlangu midfield maestro said only good preparations will see the local ladies progress to the knockout stage. “What is killing us as a country is poor preparation, and I hope that they will find replacements for the players who have reportedly left the club,” he said.
The former set piece specialist added that with good preparation, Nsingizini might win one or two matches.
It is worth noting that the other group will see defending champions and hosts Gaborone United face a difficult task to defend their title. They have been drawn against Lesotho Defence Force from Lesotho, ZESCO Ndola Girls from Zambia and Zimbabwe’s Herentals Queens.
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