MBABANE – The delayed start of the 2025/26 season will cause a major problem for the PLE, as it now faces the prospect of severe fixture congestion.
The Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) is yet to announce the dates to start the league after successfully hosting the E2.5 million-sponsored 2025 8Bet Trade Fair Cup. The tournament was won by Nsingizini Hotspurs after a 20-minute well-taken set-piece by Quality Dlamini, which gave them their first-ever Trade Fair Cup trophy. They beat Green Mamba in the finals, that were played at the Mavuso Sports Centre this past Sunday, to claim the E630 000 prize money.
It is worth noting that the PLE commenced the 2024/25 season a few days after the first edition of the 8Bet Trade Fair Cup.
However, this season, the kick-off dates still remain unknown and the official launch of the MTN League is yet to happen. What is only known, as announced during the PLE Extraordinary General Assembly (EGA) on August 23, 2025, is that MTN Eswatini renewed its sponsorship after its E19.5 million three-year deal expired at the end of the previous season.
Such a delay in the league’s kick-off is likely to cause fixture congestion in the new season for a number of reasons. Former PLE Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Kenneth Makhanya once revealed that the league alone needs 52 weeks, or eight months, to finish, if it were to be played on weekends.
This was for 26 fixtures, but now, each division will have 30 match days following an expansion.
However, if it kicks off immediately, it is likely to finish within the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) calendar, which ends in May. The only threat could be FIFA breaks, although sometimes the local league does not take a break when the national team, Sihlangu, is not in action.
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